


Runaway Train

by StoriesOfImagination



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU, Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, American Orient Express, Crime Fighting, F/M, Fake Marriage, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, It's like Agatha Christie is writing Flommy fanfiction okay?, Mystery, Orient Express, Slow Build, Slow Dancing, Swearing, Tommy Merlyn is Alive, Trains, UST, flommy, like seriously don't underestimate the UST
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-04-24 14:59:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4924045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriesOfImagination/pseuds/StoriesOfImagination
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Felicity & Tommy are hunting for jewel thieves on the American Orient Express. A slip of the tongue at the start of the mission means they have to pretend to be married. Can they find the thieves before they reach the Canadian border? And can they remember that the marriage is just for show?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Abbie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abbie/gifts).



> Here is the link to the playlist I am curating for this story:  
>  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUaiMeBrKtt0pKTvxYKwtBQtGrVEB6MYE
> 
> The songs for this chapter are:  
>  "Seven Nation Army" by Postmodern Jukebox  
>  "Cheek to Cheek" by Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald  
>  & "Embraceable" by Ella Fitzgerald  
>  Enjoy!  
>  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Felicity realized later that it had been a mistake to leave the sleeping car of the train. She fully acknowledged that it was a tactical error. A doozy in fact. But after unpacking her suitcase and setting up her portable computer system, there was nothing left to do while she waited - very impatiently - for Oliver to join her.

He should already have been there. The train was due to leave in 20 minutes and she hadn’t heard from him since he’d told her to get to the train while he checked out something that had just come over the police scanner. Digg was providing back-up and Laurel was handling the comms, so she’d had no reservations about leaving them to it while she finished packing, got down to the train terminal, and checked into their cabin.

Eighteen minutes to go. Her foot tapped nervously on the floor. She _hated_ waiting. It was the worst part of any mission. Leafing through the brochure for the train, she found the section which detailed the “fine dining experience” which included a lounge with a fully stocked bar.

_That’s more like it._

Felicity checked her hair and make-up, left a note for Oliver, and made her way towards the front of the train.

She had only seen trains like this in the old movies she used to watch with her Mom. It was the American Orient Express, and like its namesake, was steeped in tradition and luxury. The carpeting in the hallway was nicer than the carpet in her apartment. Her fingers skimmed the brass railings and she wondered how they kept their shine so well.

Entering the lounge, she made her way past the overstuffed chairs towards the mahogany bar with its tall, plush stools. The heavy scent of fresh lilies tickled her nose, and she made a mental note to take an allergy pill later. There was a warm glow in the room from the elegant brass light fixtures along the walls, and the exquisite lamps on every surface.

By the time she was seated with a glass of wine, Felicity was feeling that relaxation which is particular to a person’s environment. She usually only experienced it at the salon when she could steal a few hours for herself. She hummed her happiness with her first sip of wine.

“A good vintage?” asked a good-looking man a couple of seats away at the bar. He had light brown hair, perfectly styled, and cheekbones to die for. His smile was friendly and she immediately returned it.

“Yes, it is.” Remembering their mission, she figured she may as well get started. “I’m Felicity,” she said, extending her hand.

“Nice to meet you Felicity, I’m Max Ferris.” He took her hand and held it for a long moment after shaking it. “Is this your first time on the Orient Express?”

“Do I stand out that badly?” Felicity asked with a tilt to her head.

His smile was immediate. “Not at all. This is our second time-- I’m here with my mother. I like to get her out of the city from time to time. It’s good for her health.”

Felicity opened her mouth to reply, but just at that moment an imposing older woman walked over. She walked with a cane, and yet gave the impression of great stature - something in the way she carried herself, in the set of her shoulders. Combined with her expensive clothing and a look in her eyes which Felicity recognised from her dealings with Moira Queen--

 _Old money_ , she thought to herself.

“Ah, Mother, perfect timing. This is Felicity. Felicity, this is my mother, Mrs. Ferris.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Felicity extended her hand politely. Mrs Ferris shook it once and dropped it like she was poison.

_And a snob._

Max cleared his throat awkwardly. “Are you travelling with anyone, Felicity?”

“Yes, I’m here with my--” she craned her neck towards the door, hoping Oliver would appear soon, but instead-- “Tommy?!”

Tommy strolled in like he belonged there. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit with a blue button-up shirt which made his eyes pop. Coming to a stop right next to her, he slid his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek.

“Sorry I’m late darling. Got held up at work, nearly missed the damn thing.”

Felicity’s brian was filled with static. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times while she tried to process what was happening. Was Oliver injured? Why wasn’t he here? Did Tommy just call her _darling_? Had no-one told him the cover story?

His hand was still on her waist. He gave her a little squeeze and she realized that Max and Tommy were rattling through the introductions without her.

Max had just introduced his mother and Tommy took her hand courteously.

“Great to meet you. We’re Tommy and Felicity McGonangall, of the Highland McGonagalls.”

Felicity looked aghast. He. Did. Not...

Mrs Ferris looked at him archly. “How extraordinary.”

Tommy faltered for a split-second before doubling down on his story. “Isn’t it though? My Great-Great-GrandMother as-was, was the last to live out her days there before her son travelled to the Americas.”

Felicity closed her eyes and winced, mentally calculating the number of agencies and databases she would have to hack into in order to back this up. She decided she’d better intervene before Tommy started talking about his alma mater with a very deep lake.

“Ah- Tommy, _dearest_ ,” she said with a smile that was more asskicking than affection. “I believe I left my curling iron on in the carriage. Would you mind walking me back?”

Tommy tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and smiled down at her. Felicity could see that it didn’t quite reach his eyes which had a look of mild panic about them. “Of course, darling; happy to.” He looked up at Mrs. Ferris with an apologetic air. “Excuse us, won’t you?” And they glided calmly out of the bar.

Felicity clamped her teeth together, not trusting herself to speak until they reached the privacy of their cabin.

Tommy whispered into her ear as they made their way down the long, narrow hallway, “Oliver is fine. There’s a hostage situation at Starling National Bank that he’s helping Detective Lance with. I volunteered to stand in.”

Felicity nodded stiffly by way of reply. She led the way into the cabin, and as soon as the lock clicked she turned on Tommy.

“What. Were. You. Thinking?” She emphasised every word by hitting his arm with the flat of her hand. “ _Married?_ We don’t _have_ that kind of paperwork.” She advanced on him, gesturing so loudly that her voice didn’t need to go above her furious whisper. “ _McGonagall? Really?_ It’s one of the most famous books in the world, Tommy. You think no-one’s going to notice that your Grandma taught at _Hogwarts_?”

“Actually, Great-great Grandma--” Tommy put in weakly.

The hitting intensified.

“I’m going to destroy you. I’m going to cripple your credit score, slash your stock portfolio, and plant mean stories about you online.”

Tommy caught her hands to stop the onslaught and blinked twice. “Mean stories?”

Felicity was flushed and breathing hard. Her lips pursed before answering, “ _Very_ mean.”

Folding her hands gently under his, over his softly thudding heart, he tilted his head and smiled in a way she’d never seen aimed at her before. “I’m sure I deserve every one.” He shook his head, “ I’m sorry, Felicity. I screwed it all up.”

Sighing, her shoulders sagged and she said, resigned, “Let me get my laptop and I’ll see what I can do.”

~~~~

Two hours and a carafe of coffee later, they had a shiny-new (and yet suitably murky) backstory.

“Alright, we’re married,” said Felicity. “I mean...not _we_ but _them_. The fake ‘we’ --ugh, never mind.”

Tommy sat heavily next to her and nudged her, “Thanks, Felicity. Oliver would kick my ass if I managed to blow this whole thing in the first five minutes.”

"You're welcome. Now, how much do you know? Because we need to get on the same page."

“Ahh not a lot. Just that the jewel thieves you guys have been tracking are somehow using the train.”

“Yes,” Felicity nodded. “The various agencies have been watching all the usual back channels and borders with no success. If they could be caught crossing over into Canada, or even across state lines with the stolen goods, they could use that leverage to bring the whole operation down. As it is, the police can’t figure out who ‘they’ are, how they choose their targets, or how they are getting away.”

“So how did you figure it out?”

Felicity smiled, still a little pleased with herself, “I could tell there was a pattern, it was just a matter of figuring out what it was. I wrote an algorithm and my babies found it - each robbery took place on the same day this train left the city.” She pulled up a map on her tablet and leaned closer to show Tommy. “The route goes through Glacier National Park - just two hours to the Canadian border. And one of the day trips gets even closer. It would be a simple thing to slip over the border in a rental car. No-one is looking for the thieves that far away from Starling.”

Tommy leaned his left arm behind her along the back of the chair, and swiped at the screen with his right, zooming it in on the park and moving it to the border.

“That’s brilliant, Felicity. No wonder they couldn’t figure it out.” He brought his eyes back to hers and her heart stuttered a little at the intensity of all that electric blue up close and personal. “ _You’re_ brilliant,” he added softly.

A flush crept up her face and she caught a shy smile between her teeth and busied herself with her laptop. They had been stumbling precariously close to the edge of something for a couple of weeks now, and she didn’t know how she felt about that. Not yet anyway.

Tommy was like a weather vane for the emotional temperature of a room, and, reading this one correctly, he straightened his posture a little and took back his arm to give Felicity her personal space.

“What we don’t know,” Felicity continued, falling gratefully into her professional persona. “Is the identity of our thieves. We know there are at least two from the security footage. We know they are physically fit from the ease with which they escaped the police, and Detective Lance’s very angry reports. We also know they are smart to have evaded capture this long. But we don’t know their gender, age, ethnicity-- we have zip.” She popped the ‘p’ and shook her head in frustration.

Frowning, Tommy considered what she’d told him. “Wait though, if they’ve been using this same train each time--”

“No names appear more than two times in the last year,” Felicity interrupted. “They have to be using aliases and possibly disguises.”

“Hmmm...and the staff on the train?”

“There are only a couple of people who have been on it each time. The company likes to keep the staff moving from train to train. The ones who have stayed have clean records - just a couple of traffic tickets between them. The thieves _have_ to be among the passengers.”

Tommy clapped his hands together and rubbed them brusquely, “Right. So what’s the plan? What do we do?”

Felicity looked unsure, shaking her head, “I don’t know.” She put her tablet on the table and abruptly started pacing in the small space. Tommy moved his feet closer to the chair so she wouldn’t trip over him.

“The thing is,” Felicity gestured between them with her hand. “This is all wrong. I was going to be the brains, Oliver was going to be the brawn. I was going to figure out who our best suspect was, and he was going to put the fear of God into them until they confessed. Then we were going to hand them over to the authorities. I just don’t know--”

She was starting into a panic spiral. Tommy stood and captured her shoulders in his hands.

“Felicity…” he said, brushing his thumbs over her bare shoulders in a soothing pattern. “I understand--” She frowned up at him. “--I do, really. This mission was for a Hitter-Hacker combo and now you’re stuck with me.” A slow smile crept over his face. “I have a feeling we can make Hacker-Grifter work just as well though, with a few adjustments.”

She pursed her lips thoughtfully, “Perhaps...No holding people out of windows, obviously.”

“Obviously,” Tommy agreed with a grin.

“We’ll have to be _sure_ , that’s the thing. We have to _absolutely know_ who it is and then tip off the border police to search them.”

“Let’s get to work then. Dinner is in about 45 minutes, so let’s get changed and go find our bad guys.”

Felicity frowned and looked down at her dress. “Is this not…?”

Tommy took a step back, trailing his hands down her arms until he was holding her hands. He looked at her with a frank and appreciative gaze. “You’re beautiful. But there is a dress code for dinner.”

Her alarm showed clearly on her face. “But Oliver didn’t say! I mean, he said to bring dressy clothes, that it was a luxury train, but he didn’t mention ballgowns or anything!”

Shaking his head with a smile, Tommy chuckled, “Yeah, that’s Ollie alright, never one for the pertinent details. Worry not, dear wife, I have you covered. I had a feeling this might happen and had Thea help us out.” He went to the closet and pulled out a garment bag. “She dropped these off to my apartment while I was packing. There are a few options, so something should work.”

Felicity’s heart hammered in her chest as she gingerly unzipped the bag while Tommy held it up for her. She was amazed that Tommy and Thea had done this for her - well, for the mission really… but still. A gasp escaped her as she touched the fine silks and beading. She had only seen dresses like these in magazines.

“Tommy…” she breathed.

His face was so hopeful, he reminded her of a kid on the last night of Hanukkah. “You like them?”

“ _Like them?_ Tommy they’re gorgeous. I can’t believe you thought of this. They are-- it was--” She trailed off, overwhelmed by what she was feeling, and at a loss to explain herself.

There was an unfamiliar ache in her chest. She bit her lower lip and hung the dresses carefully in the closet. Turning back to him, she impulsively threw her arms around his neck in a hug. He caught her automatically and wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug

“Thank you,” she murmured next to his ear.

He held her a little tighter, and she breathed in the rich woody scent of his cologne for a moment before reluctantly loosening her grip. Their cheeks brushed against one another as she pulled back and she heard him inhale sharply. As she smiled up at him, he returned her gaze, but there was something more in his eyes that she couldn’t identify. He blinked and it was gone.

“Why don’t you choose a dress while I wash up quickly, then you can take the bathroom and I’ll change out here?”

"Okay," she nodded brightly.

While he was out of sight, Felicity checked each dress for length and fit, and selected one in deep purple with beading accentuating the waistline. Then she rummaged in her suitcase for a bra and thong that would work with it.

The bolt sounded on the bathroom door and out came Tommy in a white tank-top undershirt with his pants half undone. His hair was mussed up but he was freshly shaved and the scent of cologne followed him. She had known, obviously, that Tommy was attractive; she had even surmised from the way he wore a suit, that he was trim and fit. But seeing his well-defined arms up close, seeing the suggestion of abs through his undershirt, that was something else entirely.

"All yours," he said with a grin. His eyes came to rest on her hands and she saw his throat working.

Glancing down, Felicity realized she was basically checking him out while showing him her underwear. A warm flush spread up her face and she snatched her things down out of sight. Leaning past him into the wardrobe, she grabbed the dress.

“Excuse me,” she said, still flustered as they switched places in the cramped quarters, trying not to brush up against each other. His eyes were locked on hers as she shut the door.

Felicity worked double-time, flying through her routine with a practiced hand. It gave her a strange flutter to see his toiletries mixed with hers on the counter. There was something so intimate about it. She knew, logically, that it should be no different than seeing Oliver’s arrows or Thea’s bow in the lair - these were their tools, their costume. But, it wasn’t the same. This was far more personal.

Finishing her hair in a loose twist, she checked herself in the mirror one last time before adding her earrings and stepping back out into the cabin.

Tommy let out a low whistle. “Mr. McGonangall is a very lucky man.”

She blushed and ducked her head a little. “Thank you. And you--” She took in the figure he presented in a tuxedo complete with black bow tie. “--You should only wear this. Like ever.”

Tommy grinned, “Alright marshmallow.”

Holding up the ends of a necklace, she asked, “Would you mind?”

He took the necklace from her and she turned away from him. She could feel his warmth at her back. His fingers brushed lightly against the nape of her neck, causing her to shiver. Heart beating faster, she held her breath while Tommy’s washed over her skin in little puffs.

“There. Done.” Tommy rested his hands on her shoulders for a moment. She froze, with every nerve on alert. He gave her shoulders a quick squeeze and then dropped his hands. If she was disappointed she’d never admit it.

She packed her computer equipment and research into her laptop bag and shoved it in the bottom of the closet. Then, slipping on her shoes and grabbing her clutch, she gave Tommy a quick nod and they were out the door.

~~~~

As soon as they entered the dining car, Tommy’s hand fell to the small of her back and Felicity automatically stepped closer to him. A waiter showed them to a table a little way into the room. It wasn’t the best view of the car, and Felicity was frustrated that they could only see a handful of the other guests. The potted plants and screens, which were designed to give the passengers privacy, were a damned inconvenience for detective work.

After ordering a bottle of their finest red wine, Tommy asked the waiter about after-dinner entertainment, and was informed that there would be a singer entertaining the guests in the lounge later that evening.

Tommy nodded his thanks and leaned across the table towards Felicity. “That’s perfect. People will be drinking and we can get them talking and figure out whose stories don’t fit.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Felicity said with a happy sigh. Tommy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I mean, I’m sure Oliver would have been fine and all, but he is a _terrible_ liar and despite the initial hiccup, you are a lot smoother than either one of us, and my mouth is just, well, _this_. All the time.”

His eyes flicked down to her lips and she licked them self consciously. It could have been a trick of the candlelight, but Tommy’s eyes seemed to darken. Suddenly nervous, she toyed with the edge of her napkin, folded in an elaborate design on her plate. His hand covered hers and began tracing patterns over her skin.

“There’s nothing wrong with your mouth,” Tommy’s voice was husky.

Felicity didn’t know how to respond. Her heart was pounding in her chest. A movement caught the corner of her eye. She glanced over her shoulder and saw a couple seated on the opposite side of the carriage and behind her a little way. The man saw her looking and saluted her with his martini glass. She smiled and nodded in reply.

“Thank you,” she murmured, turning back to Tommy. “I nearly blew it.”

Tommy frowned and was about to speak when the waiter arrived with their drinks. By the time he had taken their food order, Felicity was feeling more like herself.

When they were alone again, she gave Tommy a friendly smile and leaned closer so that only he could hear her, “This whole ‘pretending to be married’ thing is trickier than I thought. I need to be more careful. I just-- I guess I don’t know _how_ to be married. But then I guess neither do you… “

“We’ll figure it out,” he said, smiling with a warmth that made his eyes shine. “Together.”

Felicity took in a deep breath and tried to gather her thoughts. She couldn’t remember the last time she was this rattled on a mission.

_Get it together._

“So the passengers… “

Tommy sat a little straighter and nodded, “Yes, what do we know?”

“We only figured out the thieves were on the train this morning. I managed to get the passenger list and look into the employees, but didn’t have time for much else. The internet connection is going to be spotty at best, so we’re going to have to do this the old fashioned way. There are day trips and outings at each stop along the route. I suggest we take advantage of the situation and buddy-up with the other passengers to get them talking.”

Felicity ticked things off on her fingers as she spoke. “We need to assess their physical fitness and capabilities - that is, which passengers are physically able to pull of the robberies. We also need to figure out their financial situation - who has financial motive, and do any of them suddenly have a lot more money than they did six months ago? If we go remotely near a wifi signal I’ll be able to take a look at bank records. Finally, we need to try and confirm or discredit alibis for the nights of each of the robberies - well, as many as we can without raising suspicion.”

“Now _that_ I can help you with,” said Tommy with a flourish. Then remembering himself, he lowered his voice and leaned closer. Felicity mirrored his actions until they were close enough that she could feel his breath when he spoke. “Any Pay-per-view events - like boxing, for example - require a person to be in the residence they bought it for. You can’t just watch it as you go on a tablet, for instance. So anyone who says they saw those matches has a reasonably good alibi - at least as a first pass.”

“That’s brilliant!” She said, squeezing his hand in excitement. “ I’ll give you the list of the robbery dates later and you can see if anything will help us out.”

“Absolutely. The best part is, I don’t even need wifi to check - we host high-end viewing parties at the club those nights so it’s all on my phone calendar.”

Felicity shook her head with a smile. “We might actually pull this off.”

Tommy turned over the hand that was still under Felicity’s. His long fingers brushed along the pulsepoint at her wrist before gently holding her hand in his.

“I didn’t know,” he began softly, before clearing his throat and continuing. “I didn’t know that this is how it works, when you are out on missions together - you and Ollie.” He was looking at their hands, not meeting her eyes, so he missed the astonished look she gave him.

“It doesn’t.”

His eyes snatched back up to hers.

She met his gaze without wavering. “It isn’t-- this isn’t how it works. This is unique. I’ve never… “ Felicity searched for the right words. There was something in this moment which screamed its importance to her. “Oliver, John, Sara, Thea - everyone has a different way of approaching missions. And the missions themselves vary wildly, so what works in one situation is entirely wrong in another. But this - _you_ \-- you are exactly what I--what the _mission_ needed. Even if we didn’t realize it this morning.”

Squeezing his hand, she finished in a quiet voice, “I’m glad it was you.”

He smiled then, “Me too.”

~~~~

After dinner they moved into the lounge and settled in at a small table with two comfortable chairs and an unencumbered view of the room.

Some of the guests had called it a night, but many were there, filling in the tables, chairs, and high stools.

In the middle of the carriage, pushed against one wall, was a baby-grand piano. A man was playing jazzy renditions of old songs and there was a microphone set up next to him for a singer. Sure enough, once everyone was comfortably settled with a drink in hand, a tall woman swept into the car and was introduced as “Madame Rene” to polite applause.

Although the piano player - Julian - was in a classic white tuxedo jacket, Madame Rene was dressed in an ensemble that would not have been out of place at the height of the jazz age. Beaded tassels swayed as she sang and her art deco jewelry and headband shimmered in the soft lighting.

A couple at the far end of the lounge got up to dance to one of the faster songs. By the song’s end, the woman was flushed and giggling with her partner. Two young men at a table close to Tommy and Felicity were talking quietly over their drinks. Felicity smiled to herself at the soft expressions between them.

Mrs Ferris sat through two of the songs before having Max walk her back to their cabin for the night. He gave Felicity a friendly wink as they passed by and she smiled in reply. Seeing the exchange, an elderly lady traveling with her sister, leaned towards Tommy.

“You’d better dance with your wife before someone steals her away,” she said pointedly.

Before Felicity could formulate a response, Tommy leaned towards the lady and said, “You know? I think you’re absolutely right.”

He turned back to Felicity with a wink, “Do me the honor? _Darling_? Sweet love of my life?”

Felicity smiled in spite of herself. Taking his outstretched hand, she stood with him and let him lead them to a small space a few feet away. One of his hands went around her waist to rest on her lower back, while the other held hers as he guided them. It was more swaying than dancing really and her free hand rested easily along his shoulder while her feet followed his lead.

**_~Heaven, I’m in Heaven~_ **

Tommy moved them gracefully from side to side.

**_~And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak~_ **

He stilled for a moment before moving them again. Felicity glanced up to find him gazing intently at her.

**_~And I seem to find the happiness I seek~_ **

Unable to look away, her stomach swooped when he brought her hand to his mouth and gently brushed his lips over her knuckles.

**_~When we’re out together dancing, cheek to cheek.~_ **

He tucked her hand against his chest and turned them in a tight spin before swaying again. But now his cheek rested next to hers, his breath ghosting over her skin and teasing the tendrils of hair hanging by her ear. She closed her eyes, letting the moment wash over her.

One song became three.

The tempo picked up again on the fourth, so they returned to their table and waiting drinks. But not before Tommy pressed a kiss to her temple. The sisters gave them approving smiles as they sat down.

They observed their fellow passengers for a few more songs before excusing themselves. Heat from Tommy’s hand burned the small of her back all the way back to their cabin.

Felicity fastened the lock on their door and turned to find Tommy frozen in place.

“Tommy? What’s the--” she stepped further into the cabin and followed his line of sight. “--oh no. That’s not right.”

The train’s housekeeping team had changed over the sitting area to a bed. _One bed._ Complete with chocolates on the pillows and a single red rose lying across the comforter.

“It was supposed to be two,” she continued nervously. “This kind of suite can have one bed or two - it was _supposed_ to be two.”

Tommy cleared his throat, “You said that, yeah.” He gestured towards the door. “Do you want me to ask… ?”

Closing her eyes against the sight of Tommy in a tux next to their bed, Felicity whispered, “We’re married. We can’t.”

“Right.” He stared at it a moment more before seeming to shake himself. “Would you like the bathroom first or should I?”

“Um… why don’t you? And then I’ll… yeah.”

Tommy nodded and grabbed his things before disappearing.

It was barely a full-sized bed. Not much bigger than a twin-sized really. Felicity looked through her case for her pajama pants and t-shirt, eyes traveling back to the bed of their own accord. Her mind began to replay one of the songs they had heard that evening.

**_~Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you~_ **

She shook her head against her fantastically unhelpful imagination.

When Tommy was done, they awkwardly swapped places and she retreated to the bathroom with a relieved sigh. But her mind wasn’t done torturing her. While her hands cleaned away her make-up and took out her contacts, her thoughts lingered on their evening together. More than once she came to herself, frozen in place, reliving some small moment.

Stepping back into the bedroom, she found Tommy leaning against the wall, toying with the rose with a contemplative look on his face. He was wearing pale blue pinstripe pajama bottoms and another white tank top undershirt. She tried to remember what breathing felt like.

Tommy pinned her with a look and she realized in horror that she was _humming that damn song_ , and had probably been humming it the entire time she was in the bathroom.

**_~I love all the many charms about you_ **

**_Above all, I want these arms about you~_ **

There was no possible way that Tommy didn’t know what it was. Her face burned and her eyes dropped to the rose so she wouldn’t have to meet his eyes.

He pushed himself off the wall and held out the rose without a word. She took it with a small frown.

“Which side of the bed do you want?”

Her eyes flew back up to his. She licked her lips before answering, “Uh, the side next to the floor, if you don’t mind being next to the wall?”

He smiled, but his eyes were shuttered. “Sure thing.”

They turned back the covers and climbed in. Tommy lay on his back next to the wall with his right arm up, under his head and his left lying casually across his stomach. Felicity honestly couldn’t remember the last time she’d wanted to kiss someone this badly. Taking a quick breath, she lay down on her side, with her back to Tommy and an arm under her pillow.

Remembering the light, she half sat up and leaned out of the bed to flip the switch. Blinking against the inky-black, she settled back into the mattress. She stared into nothing, trying and failing not to notice the warmth behind her.

Felicity silently reprimanded herself for her childish fantasies and forced herself to lay perfectly still until she finally fell into a restless sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity & Tommy have their first full day of investigation. It should be a simple thing to ask some questions and work through their list of suspects. But from the moment they wake up, nothing goes according to plan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the link to the playlist I am curating for this story:  
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUaiMeBrKtt0pKTvxYKwtBQtGrVEB6MYE
> 
> The songs for this chapter are:  
> "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone  
> "My Baby Just Cares For Me" by Nina Simone  
> "Careless Whisper" by Postmodern Jukebox  
> & "Why Can't I Kiss You?" by Alysha Umphress  
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Felicity woke slowly, like surfacing from a leisurely dive. It was a rare thing for her to sleep well, without interruption from frantic phone calls, or twisted dreams made from the memories of too many encounters with maniacs.

She was perfectly cosy and wanted that feeling to last as long as possible, so she didn't open her eyes right away.  She snuggled further into the warmth with a happy hmmm and it seemed to envelop her further.

Consciousness slowly crept up on her and she became more aware of her surroundings. She inhaled sharply when consciousness became awareness.

_Oh frack_

At some point in the night she had turned over to face Tommy and now they were completely entwined in each other's arms.

Felicity was lying on her left side with her right leg sprawled over Tommy's. Her right arm was not only flung over his torso, it had made its way underneath his shirt and she was essentially copping a feel at this moment (and _damn_ his chest felt good).

Tommy’s arms were wrapped around her and his body was relaxed and warm next to hers. He was a snuggler apparently, and when she tried to remove her hand (resisting the temptation to run her fingers over every one of his abs along the way) and pull carefully away, he grunted and turned in towards her, wrapping himself around her more firmly.

Her hand was still trapped between them, so she used it to tap on his body- "Tommy...Tommy!" She tried to wake him without startling him "Hey Tommy, wake up!" She said softly.

Humming a little, he bent his face towards her, and before she could process what was happening, he kissed her.

Softly teasing, but with a sense of purpose, his lips moved over hers. Felicity's stomach swooped and she longed to lose herself in that kiss, but a small, bitter voice in her head was quite clear that Tommy was still asleep and could be kissing anyone.

Reluctantly, Felicity gently pushed him away and spoke a little more firmly, hoping to cut through his sleepy state, "Tommy, wake up. _Tommy!_ "

His eyes fluttered open and his eyebrows came together in a confused frown.

She wondered briefly if he would know, could tell that she had been kissed. Were her lips redder? Would he know that he’d done it? A blush spread over her cheeks as he stared at her, trying to make sense of their situation.

"Felicity? ...What are... wait..." He blinked a few times and then she could see the light of recognition and understanding flood his eyes. He released her.

There was some awkward shuffling as Felicity untangled her limbs from him, slid her body to the edge of the bed and swung her legs over the side. She stretched, reaching her fingers far above her head with a noisy yawn. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Tommy had sat up in the corner and was rubbing his hands over and through his hair with a silent yawn.

“Sorry about the--” she gestured between them and the bed.

“Oh, yeah, I mean- me too.” Tommy frowned and looked like he was trying to remember something. “I think I was dreaming or something… “

With a tight smile, she nodded, stood up and shuffled into the bathroom. Felicity knew she didn’t have any right to feel hurt. She had known, hadn’t she, that he had been asleep when he kissed her? That was _why_ she had stopped him, after all. But she couldn’t help the sick feeling lancing her heart. She gave herself the two minutes she spent in the bathroom to acknowledge the pain and then shake it off. They had a job to do. Tommy was being incredibly generous with his time to help her. Who knows what he’d had to drop in order to be here?

Feeling more in control, Felicity went back into the cabin. She found Tommy leaning one hand on the window frame, watching the countryside flash past.

“I should have asked yesterday - who’s looking after the club for you while you’re here?”

He turned to answer her, “Thea’s handling it. She practically runs it with me most of the time anyway, so she has things well under control.”

Felicity nodded her approval, “Good. I’m sorry you got dragged into all of this. It can’t have been convenient for you to just drop everything like that.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow. “You’re telling me that it’s any better for you? We do what’s necessary to help in the ways we can.” He added softly, but with a thread of steel in his voice, “It’s my city too. I hate what it’s become, and I hate that my father was responsible for some of that.”

She felt a wave of sympathy and understanding wash over her. Squeezing his arm, she said, “You are not your father, Tommy. You never could be. And you are not responsible for his actions.”

He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and looked away, “I know that- I do, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to make some of it right again when I can.”

His eyes finally lifted to hers and what she saw there had her moving before she had a chance to think if it was a good idea. She wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him with her cheek pressed against his chest. After a moment he hugged her back, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

“You’re a good man, Charlie Brown. Don’t ever doubt it.”

“Thanks Felicity.” His voice was rough with emotion.

~~~~

Tommy wished he could freeze this moment. The feeling of Felicity in his arms made the ugliness in his life fade into background noise. She was smart and she challenged him, but she was also sweet and kind and was one of the few people in this world who really knew him. Most saw ‘Tommy Merlyn: Oliver Queen’s Partner in Chaos’, or ‘Spoiled Rich Kid’, or worst of all, ‘Son of Malcolm Merlyn - Mass Murderer and Psychopath’.

The shame of his father's legacy weighed on his soul. There were days when he felt like he'd never be rid of it. He could never do enough to mend the ugly hole which Malcolm had ripped through the Glades and the families who lived there.

But here in this moment he felt peaceful and loved. Which was as unexpected as it was crazy. He had assumed that Oliver and Felicity had a _something_ together. They were with each other almost 24/7.

And Oliver was the one who was supposed to be here now.

Something ugly twisted briefly in his gut before he squashed it.

They were his friends. He had been down this road before and it had ended badly. He and Oliver and Laurel had spent months repairing their mangled friendships. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

He lifted his head and loosened his hold on her. Automatically, she relaxed her arms too and looked up at him. It struck Tommy, swiftly and powerfully, that this was somehow much more intimate than the hug-- standing as they were with their arms still loosely circling one another and sharing soft smiles, dressed in their pajamas.

Her hair was tousled and her lips looked a little swollen - almost like they had been kissed. Just as he wondered what it would be like to kiss her, the train jostled violently, making them stumble. She was crashing into the wall when he caught her by the waist and pulled her back into his arms. Another jolt sent them reeling towards the wall again. Tommy managed to get one hand behind her head to protect her while the other slammed against the wall beside her, bracing him so he didn't crush her.

Felicity's hands were fisted in his undershirt and she looked up at him with wide eyes. He wondered if she could feel the way his heart was racing, the way his breath stuttered in his chest. He longed to know  what her lips felt like against his. They were close enough that it wouldn't take much, the smallest movement, the slightest lean, and his lips would brush against hers the way his breath did now.

A _friend_. She was a friend and she trusted him.

Tommy pushed himself off the wall and away from Felicity with an apology in his smile. She was blushing, her eyes sliding away from his as she very deliberately let go of his shirt.

He felt too big for the space. There was nowhere to run to, but he cautiously stepped backwards until he hit the bed.

_Their_ bed. He swallowed hard and searched for the right words, "I'm sorry--"

Felicity found them for him. She shrugged, “You’re not steering this thing.”

Awkward silence filled the air. Tommy ran his hand through his hair and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Hugging her arms in front of her, Felicity said, “We should probably get ready and go to breakfast.”

Tommy smiled gratefully, “Yes! Yeah- let me just use the uh… and then you can, um…”

Felicity nodded and busied herself with her suitcase. Tommy slipped into the bathroom, locked the door, and resisted a powerful urge to bang his head against the too-thin wall.

A few minutes later they had traded places and Tommy could hear the water running in the shower. He dug through his clothes to find something appropriate for the hike today.

When the train reached the edge of the park shortly after breakfast, the passengers would transfer to tour coaches for the long ride up to the summit of Mount Rainier. Then they would be free to wander the hiking trails and visitor center for a few hours. With any luck they could use the outing to talk with some of the passengers so they could begin eliminating people from their list of suspects.

He selected a blue checkered flannel shirt and his jeans, along with a sweater in a deeper blue. Layered with his jacket and a scarf, it would provide plenty of warmth at the high altitude. Just as he wondered if Oliver had warned Felicity about the hiking, the train shuddered and jolted around a sharp embankment and he heard a loud thud, a crash, and cry from the small bathroom.

“Felicity!” Tommy stepped quickly over to the bathroom door, his hand hovered over the doorknob for a moment before he raised it to rap sharply on the wood. “Felicity, are you alright?”

There was a low moan and something that sounded like a cry of pain.

Tommy pressed his ear up against the door, holding his breath in hopes of hearing something to assure him that she was fine. A few more moments passed with still no reply.

He knocked again. “Felicity, can I come in?”

“Just--” There was another gasp of pain. “Just a minute.”

It seemed to take forever, but finally the latch sounded and the door was pushed outward. Felicity was wet through from her shower, wrapped in a towel and bleeding from a gash which traveled a couple of inches down from her left elbow. She was white as a sheet and shivering.

“Felicity!” His heart fell into his stomach at the sight. “Let... let’s get you fixed up.”

Looking quickly around, he saw that his bottle of cologne had smashed on the small counter. The air in the bathroom was thick with its scent. He checked the floor for broken glass and then guided her carefully through the door to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Are you hurt anywhere else or just your arm?”

“J-just my arm. And probably some bruises.”

Tommy nodded and rang the buzzer for the porter. Then he stepped carefully back into the bathroom and retrieved a couple more towels and Felicity’s clothes. He tucked a large towel around her legs to keep her warm.

There was a knock at the door. Tommy opened it a few inches and asked the porter to fetch a doctor or a first aid kit - whichever he found first. He shut the door again and returned to Felicity with the other towel. Lifting her hair carefully, he slid the towel underneath it and across her bare shoulders before wrapping her hair up in the towel on top of her head.

In spite of the pain, she looked up at him curiously, “Where did you learn how to do that? I’ve never known a guy who knew how to do that.”

“Thea,” he said with a fond smile. “I used to take her swimming every summer when she was a kid. Even before the island, Ollie was never a fan. Lakes, swimming pools, even the ocean a couple of times - I swore she was half fish.”

She shivered again, her blood was slowly staining the towels red. Not sure what else to do, Tommy sat next to her on her right side and rubbed his hands up and down her upper arms, trying to warm and comfort her.

Another knock came, and Tommy summoned them inside. An older woman with a sensible dark bob which was greying here and there, stepped into the cabin with a small case.

“I’m Doctor Lewis,” she said briskly. “Tell me what happened.”

As though this were the signal she had been waiting for, tears began to streak Felicity’s cheeks as she described being tossed against the wall and then out of the shower, where she had hit the counter hard and smashed the bottle, cutting herself in the process. Tommy continued rubbing her arms comfortingly.

He was silent except to add, “When I saw all the glass, I got her out of there, but I didn’t dare press anything on the wound in case there’s glass in it.”

The Doctor nodded, “Sensible.” Then smiling kindly at Felicity, she said, “Well, let’s get this taken care of and then we’ll check the other bumps and bruises.”

Felicity kept a death-grip on the closing of her towel with her good hand, and buried her face into Tommy’s neck while the Doctor numbed the area before cleaning it out and thoroughly examining it for shards of glass. He knew Felicity was squeamish and trying to stay calm and still for the Doctor. Keeping his left hand wrapped firmly around her shoulder and stroking the back of her neck soothingly with his right, he murmured words of encouragement to her, holding her tighter when she cried out in pain at the prodding.

Doctor Lewis was calm and efficient as she worked. Finally, she declared it was not as serious as it had first looked, and placed some butterfly bandages in lieu of stitches before applying some ointment and wrapping it carefully in gauze and a bandage.

“There,” said the Doctor, when she was done. “That will be fine. Now where did you hit yourself when you fell?”

Felicity indicated her shoulder and said, “That’s where I fell against the shower, and I hit my stomach and leg against the counter when I fell out.” She huffed, “This is so ridiculous.”

“It happens more often than you’d think.” Doctor Lewis passed a small flashlight in front of Felicity’s eyes. “Did you hit your head at all?”

“No.”

“Good.” The Doctor examined Felicity’s shoulder and range of motion with that arm. Felicity winced a little but moved just fine. “Very good. Now lie back and remove the towel so I can check your abdomen.”

Tommy stood abruptly. “I’ll just go talk to the porter about cleaning up that glass while you ladies finish up.”

Felicity nodded gratefully to him as he quickly slipped on some shoes and a sweater, and left the cabin. He closed the door behind him and rested his forehead on the doorframe for a moment in relief. Heading down the narrow hallway, he soon found the Porters’ station and arranged for them to come and take care of the mess as soon as Felicity was dressed. In the meantime, they offered him the use of the communal shower. Tommy gratefully took them up on the offer - anything to delay going back to the cabin.

They found him a terry-towel robe and slippers, some soap and shampoo. Though he knew it was cleaned after each use by the passengers in the smaller cabins, Tommy couldn’t help but feel grateful that Oliver had splurged on the larger cabin with its private shower. He hadn’t shared bathroom facilities with this many people since college - and he’d been in an alcoholic haze for most of that.

The thought of Oliver booking that cabin stuck in Tommy's head like a bee trapped in a car, buzzing angrily against the windows. By the time he had showered and pulled his pajama pants back on, he was thoroughly distracted by his thoughts. Pulling on the robe over the top, and stepping into the slippers, he picked up his things and headed back to the cabin.

He glanced up and down the hallway to make sure the coast was clear before knocking softly on the cabin door.

"Felicity, it's me." He said softly.

"Come in." Came the reply.

He entered quickly,  locking the door behind him. Turning, he expected to find a fully clothed Felicity, so he was momentarily surprised to find her half dressed on the edge of the bed. Surprise turned quickly to concern at the distressed look on her face.

“Felicity-- what’s going on? What did the doctor say?” he crouched down in front of her, barely registering the way she awkwardly held her unfastened bra and towel in front of her chest.

Shaking her head against the implication that her injuries were more severe than they seemed, her lip trembled as she spoke. “It’s not that - she says I’m fine, just bruised. It’s just… I’m just…” She sighed unhappily. “I can’t get my stupid bra on.”

Tommy blinked and Felicity’s face turned a warm shade of pink.

“I usually, you know, fasten it around the back but it pulls on my arm, and everything _hurts_ and I’m just-- it’s so _stupid_ , because of _course_ I had to fall out of the shower - like a complete idiot, who does that? And now I can’t _get this thing to hook_.”

Hot tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks. Leaning closer, he brushed them away with his thumbs and cupped her face with his hands. He looked into her eyes with a soft smile, “You’re not an idiot, Felicity. You heard what the doctor said - it happens all the time. I can help you with the hooks… if you like?”

She bit her lip and then nodded, turning her back to him. Tommy was in awe of the trust that she gifted him with, time and again. He knelt his right knee on the bed to move behind her and picked up the two ends of the clasp.

“Which set of loops do you want it on?” He did his best to keep his voice level and unaffected.

“Th-the second one please.”

Nodding, he hooked it carefully, trying and failing not to notice how smooth and warm her skin was, brushing up against his fingers. He bit back every salacious quip about having more experience with _undoing_ bras rather than fastening them - another time she might laugh, but right now he wasn’t so sure. Straightening her straps on her shoulders, he asked, “How does that feel? Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” her voice caught a little. She cleared her throat and tried again, “Yes. Thank you.”

He stood, trying to put some space between them, hoping that he appeared a hell of a lot less flustered then he felt at that moment. “Do you need help with anything else?”

She turned towards him, the towel still held protectively over her chest. “No, I can manage the rest,” she indicated her jean-clad legs. “It was just the angle and how fiddly it was.”

“Alright… well, I’ll just--” Tommy hooked his thumb towards the window and turned his back to her, looking deliberately at the scenery and giving her some small measure of privacy to finish getting dressed. He searched for a topic of conversation, trying to steer his thoughts away from imagining what was happening behind him. “Did the Doc give you anything for the pain?”

“Yeah, some Ibuprofen,” her voice was muffled. “Better than nothing.”

Rocking on his heels with his hands buried in the pockets of the robe, the question that had been burning its way up his throat spilled out. “So Oliver booked this cabin?”

“...Yeah?”

“And they didn’t have two? Or…?”

“What are you trying to ask me, Tommy?”

“I-- I just didn’t know if you two are a thing, or… or what the cover story was supposed to be originally, and I just… I was curious.”

“I’m dressed, you can turn around.”

He faced her, leaning against the window with his hands still awkwardly in his pockets. He felt like a damn teenager. She was wearing a pink sweater with her jeans which clung in all the right places.

_A damn teenager, Merlyn_.

She had a look which unsettled him - pursed lips and raised eyebrow. He had seen it level Oliver. Many times.

_Crap_.

“We put the pieces together just a few hours before the train left. While I was trying to download as much information as I could about the staff and passengers, Oliver was pulling strings with the booking company to get us on the train last minute. This was the only cabin.” She shifted uncomfortably and suddenly didn’t look as sure of herself. “We were going to pose as brother and sister until he used the Queen name to get us on board. Then we switched to it being a business thing with me here in an EA capacity.” Her eyes met his again as she said firmly, “There is nothing going on between us.”

Tommy’s eyes fell on the still-rumpled bed they had shared. Unbidden, images of Oliver sharing it with Felicity slammed through his mind. His jaw tightened. “He was going to have you share a bed as his EA? On a tour of National Parks, on a train with a bad wifi connection.”

Her mouth opened and then abruptly closed, as though she thought better of whatever she was going to say.

Pinning her with an appraising look, he folded his arms across his chest. “How long has it been since he made you his EA without asking?”

She crossed her arms protectively across her chest, cradling the hurt one. “About eight months.”

Nodding, he forced himself to stay still, kept his voice carefully soft, reminding himself who he was mad at right now. “And how many times a week do the rumors reach your ears?”

He received an icy glare for that one.

“How many times _a day_ , Felicity? And does Oliver know?”

The second her eyes welled with tears, his feet moved of their own accord. His hands rested on her shoulders and automatically began moving in soothing circles before he sighed in defeat and drew her gently into his arms, his hands continuing the circles over her back.

“All I’m saying is that it wouldn’t kill him to be more concerned with protecting _you_ once in a while over his damn cover for his missions.”

“It wouldn’t be half so bad if he wasn’t such a terrible liar.” She muttered.

Tommy chuckled, “Yeah, I used to do all the talking when we were kids. Ollie would get us caught before we were out of the house if it were left up to him. I sat in more detentions thanks to his bad lies than any of the actual crap we pulled. And hey-- at least I come up with awesome aliases.”

She snorted in derision, pulling her face away from his chest. He could feel bad about the loss except for the grin she was aiming at him right now. A better than fair trade.

“But seriously, Felicity?” He rearranged his face into something resembling solemnity, “Never let him tell people you are brother and sister - that’s some Game of Thrones level _nope_ right there.”

Smacking his chest with her hand, she protested, “But we--”

“Yeah, I know, there’s nothing going on.” he interrupted with a glint in his eye. “That doesn’t mean there aren’t inappropriate levels of chemistry between you two.”

Felicity shrugged, not bothering to deny it. “He’s hot and I like to look.” Tommy quirked an eyebrow, but Felicity continued unabashed, “Seriously, watching him work out is like art, and he likes having someone around in the Arrow Cave who will tell him to his face when his head’s up his ass.”

“Oh man,” Tommy groaned. “Tell me you got it on tape.”

“It’s possible,” she said with a sly grin. “That the security system needed backing up onto the hard-drive that night. It’s _possible_ I made copies for a rainy day.”

“Felicity, remind me never to piss you off.”

“Something tells me you’re a fast learner.”

His eyes locked with hers. “Like you wouldn’t believe, Smoak.”

She _actually blushed_ , and Tommy could swear in court he’d never seen anything prettier. Once again they were standing each other’s arms and Tommy felt the stirrings of something like _home_ in his chest. He dropped his hands and stepped back.

“Do you need help with your hair - a braid or anything?”

Felicity’s eyes widened. “You braid too? Thea must have had you wrapped around her little finger. Thanks, but I’m just going to spray some leave-in conditioner, brush it through and let it air dry. If it’s windy at the summit though, I might take you up on it.” Her eyes took in his robe and pajamas before meeting his again. “Why don’t I grab us a table in the dining car while you get dressed?”

“Good idea,” he nodded. “Order me some coffee?”

“Sure - oh! How do you take it? Your wife would know that.”

“Strong, with cream, no sugar.”

“Got it! I’ll see you down there.”

When the door closed behind her, Tommy sank onto the bed. He just needed a minute. Putting his head in his hands and massaging his scalp with his fingers, he groaned. How the hell was he going to survive this? When she was in the room with him, every nerve was on alert. She was, by turns, pretty and sweet, a fierce bad-ass, smarter than everyone in the room, and hot enough to make his blood boil. How he was going to make it through the day without pinning her to a wall and kissing her till her toes curled as much as her hair, he had no fucking clue.

~~~~

Felicity walked carefully down the hallways towards the dining car, clinging more firmly to the railings along the way. The Ibuprofen helped, but her arm still stung and her stomach muscles protested every time she moved wrong. She believed the Doctor’s assurances that it was a common occurrence, but it did nothing to make her feel like less of a fool.

She was seated at a table just across the carriage from three girls. There was a resemblance which made her think they were related somehow. The youngest couldn’t have been much older than twelve and stared at Felicity with unabashed curiosity.

Felicity offered her a friendly smile and began reading the breakfast menu.

After ordering their coffees and an omelet for herself, she placed the menu in front of Tommy’s seat and found the girl staring at her again.

“What happened to your arm?” The girl asked loudly, causing several people to turn their heads. Felicity’s face warmed under so many curious eyes.

“Kelly! Hush!” The oldest of the girls looked apologetically at Felicity, “I’m so sorry. She just says every damn thing as it passes through her brain. If I knew how to install a filter…”

Felicity relaxed a little. Filter problems- she could relate to that. “That’s okay.” She looked at Kelly with a rueful smile, “The train tossed me right out of the shower and I got hurt. I must look a mess, huh?”

“You look beautiful.” Tommy’s voice reached her a moment before he did. He leaned into her and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek before sitting. Felicity smiled shyly and found she couldn’t hold the intensity of his gaze.

He extended a hand to the girls, “I’m Tommy, and you’ve already met Felicity?”

The eldest girl shook his hand politely, but with no real friendliness. “I’m Sophia. These are my sisters - Anna and Kelly.”

“Nice to meet you all,” said Felicity. “Is this your first time on this route? This is all new to us.”

“Anna wants to see the trees and moss,” supplied Kelly helpfully. “She wants to see the habitat.”

Anna looked up from a thick book she was reading and nodded absently before looking back down. Sophia rolled her eyes, “You should feel honored,” she said dryly. “That’s as much as we’ve had from her this morning.”

Felicity grinned, “Yeah, I used to drive my Mom crazy doing that.”

“Do you like Biology?” asked Kelly.

Tommy snorted and turned to the window, trying to muffle the sound and turn it into a cough.

Felicity felt her cheeks warm and tried to keep a straight face. “Ahh, um- computers actually.”

Kelly shrugged and turned back to her breakfast, losing interest.

With a sigh of relief, Felicity turned away from the group and back to Tommy, who _almost_ had his features under control, though his eyes still danced. She raised an eyebrow and swatted him with her good hand. “Thanks a lot,” she snarked under her breath. “You were a lot of help.”

“Anytime, Darling, anytime…”

~~~~

An hour later, the passengers were on a tour bus winding their way up the mountainside. Tommy leaned in close to Felicity, pretending to look out the window at the scenery with her while they made plans to coax information from the other guests. His breath tickled the fine hairs of her neck every time he spoke softly in her ear. She knew it was an act, _knew_ he was just trying to keep their conversation private, yet every time she had to suppress a shiver. It was playing havoc with her nerves being in such close proximity with him.

They had been friends ever since the Undertaking. During his recovery she had distracted him by making plans to use Merlyn Global and Queen Consolidated to rebuild the Glades. When Oliver disappeared back to the island, she let him rage and he supplied colorful adjectives when she was speechless with anger upon finding Oliver’s million dollar deposit in her bank account. When they moved past anger into a kind of lonely hurt, they spent nights watching Netflix and playing cards. Felicity taught Tommy to play the odds while Tommy taught her a better Poker face.

They had spent a lot of time alone together - in both suits and sweats - but this was different somehow. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was off balance-- _she_ was off balance. Before this mission, if someone had asked her about Tommy Merlyn, Felicity would have said that he was a friend and a good man. Now… she honestly didn’t have an answer. The only thing she knew for sure was that she didn’t have a damn clue what was happening between them or where it was going to leave them when they returned to Starling.

The visitors’ center came into view and Tommy settled back in his seat. Felicity wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. After some instructions from the tour guide about the best paths for hiking, and the time to meet back at the bus, they climbed down and breathed in the sweet mountain air. She immediately regretted breathing so deeply when a sharp pain radiated from her bruised torso.

“What was that?” Tommy frowned in concern.

Pressing her hand gently to her side, Felicity smiled ruefully, “I think the Ibuprofen wore off. I’ll be fine.”

“The _hell_ you will,” Tommy placed his hand gently over hers and rested his other on her shoulder. “This was a bad idea. I’m sorry, I should have thought--”

“I’m not crippled, it’s just sore--”

Tommy tried to speak but she cut him off with a wave of her hand, “Look, why don’t I find a comfy chair and see if I can hunt down a wifi signal with my tablet? You can go on the hike and make some new friends…” She said pointedly, nodding towards the group gathering to one side.

After a moment of deliberation, Tommy agreed, but insisted on getting her settled inside before he left. He brought her a carafe of coffee from the cafeteria and tipped one of the staff generously to bring her whatever she needed while he was gone. She watched him curiously as he hesitated at the door, half turning like he wanted to say something, before shaking his head and walking outside to join the group.

Hours passed with an exercise in frustration. The wifi was almost non-existent, hampering her efforts to check the passengers’ bank records. She would get close to breaching a firewall when the connection would flicker and her work was undone. Moments after she had eliminated just two of their suspects, Tommy and the others returned, flushed and a little breathless.

He made a bee-line for her with a strange look on his face. He looked almost pained.

“Hey, how was your hike?”

“It was, well, the thing is--”

“There are the newlyweds now!” A loud voice echoed in the large room. A couple she hadn’t met came over to greet her. The man was tall, but it was his personality which truly filled the space. Felicity stiffened, a feeling of unease creeping over her as he crowded her and took her roughly by the hand. “Here she is Julie! The blushing Bride!”

“The _what_ now?” Felicity raised an eyebrow in Tommy’s direction, but before he could respond, Felicity was swept up in a hug.

“Oh Stuart! She is just _darling_!” Julie squealed in her ear. “Don’t you two make the cutest couple!”

“Yes,” ground out Tommy. “Yes, in fact we do.”

Undeterred, Julie lifted Felicity’s left hand and then looked between them in confusion. “No ring?”

“The setting was loose,” Tommy said quickly. “It’s at the jewelers. Should be ready when we get back.”

Felicity began to feel as though the ground was opening up beneath her - or perhaps that was just wishful thinking. Seeing the stricken look on her face, Tommy took her hand from Julie and said, “We really should grab some lunch before the bus comes back. If you’ll excuse us?”

“Sure thing, buddy! Come on Julie, we’re cramping their style- he hasn’t even had a chance to kiss his Bride ‘Hello’!”

But rather than leaving them, Stuart and Julie stood and stared expectantly. It dawned on Felicity in horrified increments that they were expecting her and Tommy to kiss. From the look on Tommy’s face, the same thought had occurred to him.

She found that she couldn’t tear herself from his gaze. He tugged her closer, and suddenly his hand was cupping her face, the other sliding over the curve of her waist. Heat flooded her cheeks and her heart pounded traitorously in her chest. Tommy’s eyes cut down to her mouth and she licked her lips self-consciously. He tilted his head as he closed the inches between them. Their lips met in a warm, gentle press that was strange and familiar at the same time. She gripped the back of his neck and he kissed her harder.

The outside door banged shut as more people came in. She pulled back with a little gasp. Tommy’s pupils were dark, his expression stormy. Felicity caught her lip nervously between her teeth. Everything was getting screwed up. If she had any sense whatsoever she would high-tail it back to Starling _immediately_.

Tommy grasped her hand and pulled her past the gathering crowd into the Cafeteria. Tension crackled between them while they selected some food and situated themselves in a quiet corner where they could keep an eye on the room.

“I’m sorry, Felicity. They kinda latched onto me on the hike and jumped to some conclusions… I just couldn’t reign them in, and _fuck_ , they told everyone that we were-- “ He shook his head with a sigh.

“They are horrifying,” Felicity agreed. “I have a really strong urge to lock them in a room with my mother and see who survives…”

Tommy snorted, and looked up at her sheepishly. “You’re taking this better than I imagined you would.”

Shrugging, she picked at her salad before answering, in the most casual voice she could manage, “People already thought we were married. The only difference is that they might expect us to be a little more… um… affectionate.”

A long and uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Felicity focused on spearing her lettuce like it was threatening to walk off her plate. Tommy cleared his throat a couple of times and took a drink from his water glass. The look on his face suggested he wished it were something stronger.

“We should probably talk about that.”

For as much as Tommy had said the words, he looked as though he’d rather do literally _anything_ else.

“Yeah… you’re right.” Felicity sat up straighter in her chair, “Look-- we’re adults, we’re friends, _colleagues even_. We can do this. It doesn’t have to be a big deal.”

Tommy nodded with a frown and fiddled with his glass, “Right. So, um… what boundaries do you want to-- I mean, I guess kissing is…?”

“Yes. Sure, that’s… fine. I mean, just standard PDA stuff. Things that are socially acceptable in public--”

“Tongue? No tongue?” Tommy's tone was soft and casual, but Felicity couldn't help but notice the color creeping up his neck.

“When necessary,” she answered carefully. It was hard enough to keep the lines from blurring in this situation, but the thought of Tommy's tongue in her mouth put things in flux in a whole new way. She stabbed at her salad a couple more times before adding: “And hands on hips, backs, shoulders-- the usual kind of thing.” She very deliberately kept her eyes on her food. She wondered briefly if Tommy realized that rule was for her benefit. The last thing she needed was for there to be any sliver of doubt in her mind that his ass was off limits. There would definitely be no coming back from that.

“Well that all seems… fairly straightforward,” Tommy offered.

Silence stretched between them while they ate. They were nearly done when Tommy finally displaced the awkwardness.

“How did your hacking go?”

Felicity grabbed onto the subject gratefully. They compared notes and discovered that between them they had eliminated three couples and another two individuals from the suspect pool.

“Not bad, all things considered,” she said, scrolling through the list of suspects on her tablet. “We can try to talk to some more people tonight, and-- oh! Tomorrow we are all stuck on the train all day, so-- captive audience!”

Sighing, she said, “As much as I’d love to grill Stuart and Julie, your new best friends, you did too good a job eliminating them. You said they were at a wedding?”

“Yes, her sister’s. They showed me the Facebook pictures and everything,” Tommy rolled his eyes. “That’s how we ended up newlyweds. The conversation went completely off the rails…”

Felicity glared at him and got an unrepentant smirk for her trouble.

“We’re going to have to come up with a few more details for our cover story,” he continued, unabashed. “People have already been asking me about our wedding.”

Felicity groaned. “I’m either going to need a lot more coffee or a lot more alcohol.”

“How about both?” Tommy offered. “I thought I saw Irish coffee on the bar menu.”

“See? _This_ is why I married you.”

“Not for my good looks?” He grinned.

“Oh sure! The ass alone--” She gasped as her brain caught up with her mouth. “I can’t believe I said that.”

Tommy laughed and stood to get their drinks, while she hid her face in her hands. She looked up as he walked away, only for him to look back over his shoulder and waggle his eyebrows mischievously. Face on fire, Felicity tried to bury her embarrassment in professionalism and worked on her tablet.

By the time he returned with their drinks, Felicity had figured out fake careers and a fake meet-cute for their aliases.

“Finance? Really?” Tommy said in disbelief.

“It's vague enough and boring enough that no-one will ask any other questions,” Felicity insisted.

“And who are you? My EA?” He snarked.

“Certainly not,” Felicity said primly. “I trouble-shoot app design. Once again, something vague enough for people to dismiss, while explaining why I'm always on my tablet.”

Tommy stared back at her, wide-eyed. “This is one of those moments when I'm glad you're one of the good guys,” he gestured vaguely between Felicity and her tablet. “You're scarily good at this.”

She could feel her face getting warm, so she leaned over her drink, cupping her hands around its warmth and taking a sip.

Tilting his head, Tommy watched her for a moment before drinking from his own mug.

“How did we meet?” He asked into his drink.

She glanced up, but he was tilting his cup this way and that, seemingly engrossed. “You hit on me in a bar and I turned you down.”

Tommy’s eyes snapped up, “Is that right?”

“Yup.” She said, popping the ‘p’. “But then a few days later we bumped into each other in line in a coffee shop and you bought my coffee. So I gave you another chance and the rest is history.” She raised an eyebrow at him over her current coffee.

Laughing, Tommy nodded, “It _would_ have to be either coffee or red wine.”

“You know all my deep, dark, secrets.”

His eyes narrowed, “Not yet.” Leaning back in his chair, he continued, “I’m sure the proposal was one for the story books…?”

“Uh- I don’t know,” she glanced down at her notes. “I didn’t get that far yet.”

“Oh it was,” his mouth quirked in amusement. “I had been a wreck trying to come up with something special. Ollie teased me mercilessly and Thea kept sending me internet links - things like ‘10 Unusual Proposals in Elevators’ - really useful stuff like that.”

Felicity laughed, letting her imagination wander for a moment. Her eyes drifted back to his, and she was surprised by the intensity with which he looked at her, in spite of his smile.

“But I finally figured it out-- spent weeks putting it together with Cisco’s help.”

“Cisco?”

“Yup.” He paused for dramatic effect. “A digital treasure hunt. I sent you an email each night of Chanukah that year. It was one of those cute things where, you click on it and it opens up like an envelope with a riddle inside. You solved the riddle and it took you to a website and then you had to go on a treasure hunt through cyber-space until you found the prize - a number.”

“A number? Interesting…” Felicity leaned forward, intrigued.

“Mmhmm. Every night gave you a new number until on the last night--”

“Coordinates!” Exclaimed Felicity.

“That’s my girl,” Tommy said softly. Smiling, he reached across the table and took her left hand between his, tracing patterns onto her skin. “I met you at a skating rink in the park. The trees were all decorated with lights for the holidays, and those ones are your favorites because--”

“They’re the only ones they decorate in blue,” Felicity finished. “How did you know that?’

“You told me,” he said simply.

“But--?”

“Last Chanukah, when your car was in the shop and I gave you a ride to the grocery store so you could pick up some things to make latkes and cookies? We drove past the park.”

Her mouth dropped open a little as the memory hit her. She couldn’t tear her eyes from his. It was like being caught in a damn tractor beam. The atmosphere between them was so charged that it was hard to draw a breath.

Tommy leaned closer to her. “Felicity…”

_“WILL ALL PASSENGERS FROM THE AMERICAN ORIENT EXPRESS PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR TOUR BUS. YOUR BUS IS DEPARTING.”_

The loudspeaker announcement broke the spell. Their hands parted, and they went through the motions of putting on jackets and gathering their things. By the time they were settled back on the bus heading down the mountain, things were almost back to normal.

_Almost_.

~~~~

When they got back to the train, they had a couple of hours to kill before dinner. They opted to hide out in their cabin to update their list of suspects.

They were definitely not hiding from Stuart and Julie.

Probably not.

Maybe a little.

The bed had been changed back to chairs and a table, the bathroom had been meticulously cleaned of broken glass, everything was orderly once again.

Felicity called down for some coffee, and the two of them sat together enjoying the brief respite.

It was easy to be with him like this- no pressure, no expectations, just _them_. Together, working side-by-side. She enjoyed his company, had from the start. Even with the new _something_ that seemed to be hovering unspoken between them, he was still the person she wanted to hang out with, still the person she wanted to tease and be teased by, the person she wanted to curl up next to on the couch and watch terrible movies with. If she could just focus on _that_ Tommy and not the pretend-husband Tommy, everything would be fine.

They were pleased to discover that they had eliminated a third of the guests as suspects.

“We’re doing better than I thought,” said Tommy. “It feels like I’m stumbling my way through these conversations most of the time.”

“I know what you mean,” sighed Felicity. “Most of my energy is focused on keeping our stories straight so I don’t get tripped up. At least we’ve got enough details hammered out to keep a conversation going with the more inquisitive passengers now.”

“And we’re getting better at acting the part,” added Tommy.

“Exactly. It’s just a matter of adjustments really… not a big deal. No one should suspect us at this point”

“Right. And now we’ve got the awkward first kiss out of the way--”

“Second kiss.” Felicity’s hand leapt to her mouth too late to stop the words.

_Shit_.

Tommy stared at her in confusion. He looked away for a moment, as if wracking his brain for some kind of New Year's Eve moment that had been lost in a muddle of alcohol. Meeting her eye again, he spoke hesitantly, as though afraid of offending her, “Felicity, I can’t remember kissing you before today. I’m an absolute shit, I’m sorry. I just can’t--”

“You were asleep,” Felicity’s face burned with the memory. “This morning. It wasn’t a conscious-- I mean you _literally_ weren’t conscious. I mean, it obviously didn’t mean anything… you had no idea- and I _tried_ to wake you and _did_ wake you as soon as--”

Horror was written all over his face. Felicity’s stomach sank like a stone and her eyes began to sting.

Standing abruptly, she stammered, “I-I’m just gonna--” She disappeared quickly into the bathroom without looking back, desperately seeking privacy before her tears spilled over.

~~~~

Tommy watched her leave, frozen in place. He had upset her. He had _kissed_ her and he didn’t even know it, couldn’t remember it. In his fucking _sleep_. He couldn’t catch a break. And now he had kissed her _again_ , and he had made her cry.

_Fuck_.

He replayed the conversation in his head. Tried to pinpoint the moment it had all gone to hell. But kept coming back to--

_I kissed her. Twice._

A cold hand of dread gripped his gut as he realized that he had never asked her. He didn’t know if she had _wanted_ to be kissed. Shit, what if he had… done more than kiss her in his sleep? Had he groped her? What the fuck had he done? She was his friend and he’d screwed it all up.

His feet were moving while his brain was still reeling from the knowledge. He hovered outside the bathroom for a moment before knocking on the door.

“Felicity?”

There was no answer. He wanted to go inside, to apologize and explain. But he had already stomped across too many lines.

“Felicity, I’m sorry. I never even asked… I’m such an ass. Are you okay? Did I…? Shit, Felicity, please tell me what happened.” He rested his head against the door frame, the dread had turned to stark fear and settled in his throat. He swallowed against it and blinked back the tears which threatened. “Felicity--”

The door opened slowly, creaking a little on its hinges. Tommy looked up and saw his own expression mirrored in Felicity’s face. He didn’t shy away from the pain it caused him. Feeling pain was a good thing, it meant that his mother’s heart was still beating strong inside him.

“What happened?” His voice was no more than a whisper. “What did I do?”

The pain flickered with something like anger in her eyes as she answered, “You kissed me. Isn’t that enough? I realize the thought repulses you--”

He recoiled as though she had slapped him. _Repulsed him?_ Confusion washed over him.

“No! How could you ever think that?  I mean...” He looked down at the floor, trying to find the magical combination of words it would take to mend this. “I don’t regret kissing you, I just wish I had known… _knew_ that you _wanted_ to be kissed by me.” He took a breath and stepped back from her, giving them both room to breathe, to think. Running his hand through his hair, he swallowed his fear. “I don’t force myself on _anyone, ever_. And the thought that I did that to you… and then again at the visitors’ center--”

He took a shuddering breath and met her confused gaze steadily. “Kissing you could never be considered repulsive. But only if you want to kiss me back.”

Felicity stared at him, open mouthed, while he held his breath for her reaction.

Swallowing, her eyes dropped to the floor, “I… I thought you were upset that you had to kiss me,” she said, barely a whisper. “I don’t want you to hate me… You’re one of my best friends.” Her voice cracked and tears spilled down her cheeks.

His hands cupped her face, brushing away her tears with his thumbs. “I could never hate you,” he said, voice rough with emotion. “ I… I’m sorry that I hurt you. You’re one of my best friends too, Felicity.” He paused, gathering courage. “Please tell me - what did I do this morning? Was it just a kiss or… or did I…?”

“It was just a kiss.” She said softly but firmly.

He slumped in relief. Now her hands were on his face as she brought his gaze back up to meet hers.

“For the record?” She continued, “You can kiss me. Anytime for… whatever. It’s fine.”

Nodding, he rested his forehead gently against hers. “For the record-” he said. “I liked kissing you.”

_A lot. Too much._

“I’m just sorry I don’t remember the first one.”

Her breath tickled his mouth and Tommy swallowed hard. This was a moment. A fork in the road. He stepped back and gently let go of her face. He wasn’t going to screw this up. He couldn’t. Rushing her, rushing whatever this was, would be a disaster. If there was a chance of a _something_ between them, then they needed to take it slow and get comfortable with the idea first.

“We should get ready for dinner,” Tommy barely recognized his own voice.

Felicity blinked and nodded her agreement before moving to the closet and pulling out a dress. And just like that, the moment passed.

~~~~

At dinner it was as though they were floating in a private bubble that no-one wanted to pop. The other guests left them alone but watched them curiously just the same.

Tommy and Felicity did their best to act naturally despite the charged atmosphere between them. They made small talk and exchanged bites of food. A bottle and a half of wine later, it was time to move into the lounge for the evening’s entertainment.

Almost immediately, Tommy pulled Felicity tenderly from her chair to dance. He positioned them so that her hurt arm was cradled between them, trapped gently between their bodies. Tucking her under his chin, with one hand sprawled over her lower back and the other holding her good hand and guiding them across the small dance floor.

The heat from his hand seemed to scorch the bare skin of her back. The dress she wore tonight was a midnight blue color which Tommy had said complimented her eyes. The front of the dress draped delicately across her decolletage while the back plunged dangerously low. Tommy’s thumb moved restlessly over her skin even as his face was a mask of serenity, a small smile gracing his lips.

The tempo changed with each song - fast and then slow - until suddenly they were barely moving. The expression on Tommy’s face could only be described as intense. Their eyes were locked on each other, the rest of the room ceased to exist.

Tommy moved his face close to hers. She thought for a moment that he was going to kiss her, but he stopped just inches away. The way he was looking at her made her face burn. Then Felicity realized- he was letting her choose.

She closed the gap, kissing him as her eyes drifted shut.

The way he kissed her wreaked havoc with her emotions and set fire to her nerve endings. He was passionate, yet tender; chaste, yet intimate in a way that made her long to be back in the cabin with him. He ended it by nipping at her lower lip with his teeth. She gasped, and then through the fog, the word _newlyweds_ caught her attention, and she remembered they had an audience.

_Shit, he was good at this._

Reaching up on her toes, she whispered in his ear, “That should be enough. Can we go back? I’m wiped.”

Setting back down on her heels, he saw something flicker in Tommy’s expression before he smiled and led them from the dance floor. They said their goodnights and retreated back to their cabin.

Getting ready for bed, things were the same between them and yet not at all. They moved cautiously around one another in the cramped quarters, as though one touch could make everything fall apart.

When they climbed into bed, they soon discovered that Felicity couldn’t get comfortable on her side. Even though the bruises were down her left side and she was resting on her right, it pulled at her injury uncomfortably. Lying on her back seemed to work best, so Tommy moved onto his side to give her more space. Rather than facing the wall, which seemed ridiculous at this point, he faced Felicity. Lying with his right arm pillowed under his head and his left resting on the sheet between them, she could feel the warmth radiating off him, feel his eyes on her.

Closing her eyes against the weak light coming through the window from the half moon, she concentrated on her breathing while her chest rose and fell in a soft rhythm as she drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confined to the train for a day, Tommy and Felicity try to narrow their list of suspects; but a revelation has them rethinking everything they think they know. All the while, their relationship begins to shift and they find themselves getting in deeper with every passing hour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the link to the playlist I am curating for this story:  
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUaiMeBrKtt0pKTvxYKwtBQtGrVEB6MYE
> 
> The songs for this chapter are:  
> "Thinking Out Loud" by Postmodern Jukebox with Holly Campbell-Smith  
> "Someday" by Postmodern Jukebox with Cristina Gatti  
> "I Put a Spell on You" by Nina Simone  
> "Night & Day" by Ella Fitzgerald  
> & "Someone to Watch Over Me" by Colin Donnell  
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tommy woke up to a face full of golden curls. Felicity was asleep on her side and he was spooning her with an arm pillowed under his head and another happily wrapped around her waist. She felt so soft and warm in his arms that he stilled for a minute and waited - wondering if he would wake at any moment or if he even wanted to. He turned his face into the crook of her neck and breathed deeply.

Something was off. She didn’t smell like Felicity, though he knew it was her. He stilled for a moment before realizing that she smelled of his cologne.

_The broken bottle_.

It must have gotten all over her, and she hadn’t showered since then.

Taking a slow, deep breath, he realized it was strangely intoxicating, smelling his scent on her skin - like they were rubbing off on each other somehow. Tommy’s fingers flexed involuntarily on her hip, his arm tightening a little across her belly.

With a sleepy sigh she rolled her hips back into him.

He froze.

Her hair slid to one side, revealing the expanse of her neck. Groaning inwardly, he tried to slide his arm gently away, but her hand was suddenly over his, fingers laced and hugging him closer into her. Pressing his weight onto his free arm, he tried to shift his hips backwards, away from hers and back towards the wall. He _had_ to create some space or this was going to be horrifyingly awkward when she woke and realized how turned on he was.

He hit the wall.

And she followed, pressing in close to him again.

_Shit shit shit_

Her breathing changed and she grew more restless. She was waking up.

He panicked. Yanking his hand from hers, he leaped from the bed, feet tangling in the covers. He narrowly avoided busting his nose on the floor and by the time he scrambled to his feet, Felicity was sitting up and looking at him with something between suspicion and sleepy puzzlement.

His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he pointed to the bathroom and hastily dove inside.

Wasting no time, he turned on the shower as cold as it would go, quickly stripped and stepped inside. He shuddered from head to toe when the water hit his skin. Six minutes later he stepped out into the cabin with a towel around his waist and cursed himself to hell and back for his bad planning.

Felicity was lying in their bed looking at him from under sleep-heavy eyelids, playing with her hair with one hand and the covers with the other.

He felt himself step towards her before he knew what he was doing.

She looked so captivating… he didn’t have words for this.

She inhaled sharply and her eyes darkened as they travelled down his wet body. He knew that his face had to be mirroring hers. Dragging a breath in and closing his eyes, Tommy tried to steer his thoughts back to safer ground.

Clothes. Clothes would be optimal. He forced himself to turn away and grab his suitcase. He felt rather than heard Felicity pass behind him and softly close the bathroom door.

He dressed quickly, but was so distracted he was halfway through buttoning a dress shirt before realizing it was completely inappropriate for a casual day on the train. Sighing, Tommy took it off again and was pulling a polo-style shirt over his head when he heard her walking back into the cabin. He froze for half a second before pulling it the rest of the way over his head and tucking it into his slacks.

When he finally felt armored enough to look up, he found her studying him. He ran his hand through his damp hair, at a loss.

“What’s going on, Tommy?” she asked softly, but with an underlying tone that demanded a response.

_I want you. I want to kiss you so damn bad that I’m tripping over my own damn feet. I want this to be real so much I can hardly breathe. Or string a fucking sentence together._

He couldn’t say any of it.

“I was disoriented when I woke up… I… you look--”

Felicity raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, waiting for him to finish.

“You look… amazing” he admitted. “I, um, panicked. A little.”

“A little?” repeated Felicity, slowly. “What are you so afraid of?”

“Losing you.” The words were out of his mouth before they were conscious thought. Felicity looked stunned. Taking a breath, Tommy continued, choosing his words carefully. “I am very attracted to you. You’re beautiful and so damn smart-- there’d be something wrong with me if I wasn’t. So when I wake up with you in my arms, all I want to do is kiss you.”

He took a step towards her. “A lot.”

Capturing her hand in his own, he looked at her through hooded eyes. “Felicity, being thrown together with you like this is giving me ideas…” He took another step closer to her so she now had to tilt her head up to return his heated gaze. “All kinds of ideas.”

Felicity chewed her lower lip, her eyes still wide. He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb over her lip before gently tugging it from her teeth. His whole being was attuned to her, led by his heart, beating swiftly and pumping more than blood through his veins.

“Felicity,” his voice was rough but not harsh. “I don’t want to lose you as a friend. But I also really want to explore this thing between us.”

There was hardly any space between them now. He could taste her breath on his own.

“Do you…? What do you think?”

Her eyes travelled over his face for long moments before searching his eyes.

Felicity’s hands moved up, over his chest, setting his nerve-endings on fire when her nails scraped gently up the back of his neck and into his hair.

He didn’t dare move.

Finally, she closed the last of the gap between them and kissed him.

She wasn’t timid, didn’t seem unsure. Her lips and hands set the tone, the pace.

He had been longing to do this for days and didn’t waste it. For the first time, they were kissing because _they wanted to_ \- not because they had an audience, not because it was _expected_ of them. He wrapped his arms around her and held her flush against his body. When her tongue teased the seam of his mouth, he encouraged her with his own. She tasted just as sweet as he imagined and when his exploration elicited a groan from her, he redoubled his efforts.

He backed her up against the wall and buried one hand in her hair, gently tugging her head back to expose her neck to him. Kissing his way down her neck to her pulse point, he sucked tenderly - making her pulse race as fast as his own - before nipping his way back up to her ear and the industrial piercing which had been creeping into his dreams the last few nights.

Felicity’s breathing became erratic and her hands grew bolder. One hand slid under his shirt, exploring his back, while the other wrapped around his hips and held him close to hers. The sensation made him forget what he was doing and he pulled her closer still while resting his forehead against hers, his breathing ragged. Her lips and tongue were leaving a heated path over his neck and in the V of his shirt.

He bent his knees to try to claim her lips again, accidentally grinding his crotch against her. He groaned into her mouth and kissed her harder; she answered him in kind.

Moments later, as if by silent agreement, they pulled back, gasping for breath. Felicity rested her forehead against his chest, he rested his chin on top of her head. Once the erratic beating of their hearts had calmed a little, they untangled their limbs carefully - as though they were not sure of their control in the face of what had been unleashed.

Felicity’s eyes were so wide and dark, Tommy could barely find the blue. He tried to catch his breath, studying her all the while. He’d had plenty of passionate nights with gorgeous girls he barely remembered, but this… this was like kissing in the middle of a forest fire. He didn’t recognize himself.

Framing her face tenderly in his hands, he just barely brushed his lips over hers. Once. twice.

“That was…” he breathed.

“Yeah” she smiled, her eyes shining.

As much as to have something to say as to ask it, Tommy smiled softly and said, “How are you feeling today? How are your injuries?”

Felicity blinked, and stepped back from him. She pressed her fingers gently over her bandaged arm and sucked in a quick breath through her teeth.

“Still tender, but better than yesterday.”

She lifted the bottom of her shirt to examine the bruise on her ribs and prodded it gently. Tommy was appalled at the ugly purple mottling her skin. His hand joined hers automatically and skated lightly over the area as though he could make it better just by wishing it.

Frowning, his eyes flicked back up to hers, only to find her watching him quietly. “Are you sure you’re okay? It looks really painful.”

“I’m sure. It’s just sore - nothing that some ibuprofen won’t take care of. I just wish…”

“What?” asked Tommy curiously.

“I miss my yoga class right now. I know it sounds strange, but any time I get injured doing extra-curricular nonsense I always find it eases my muscles. It loosens the knots and strengthens everything else… I’m not making any sense am I?”

“Actually that makes a lot of sense,” Tommy smiled.

Felicity rolled her shoulders experimentally. “There’s just nowhere to do it on the train and we’re going to be stuck here all day,” she sighed.

Tommy looked around the cabin. “You know, I think there’s just enough space right here. It’s not much bigger than a yoga mat, but it should do for now.”

“But the motion of the train-” Felicity protested.

“I can steady you. Laurel dragged me to some classes back in the day. I know the drill.”

A crinkle appeared at the bridge of her nose and she chewed her lip while she considered.

He watched as she sized up the space, moving her arms through some of the forms. Then nodding, satisfied, she smiled and said, “Let’s do it. I think this can work. I don’t have my yoga things with me, so pajamas will have to do. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

Gently tucking a few of her curls behind her ear, he smiled and softly kissed her forehead. His heart was thundering in his chest. “I don’t mind at all.”

Blushing furiously, she grabbed a towel from the bathroom and spread it on the floor, then pulled her hair back into a messy bun. Tommy stood on one side of the towel in his socks, ready to help.

After giving him a quick smile, Felicity stood in the center of the towel and began her warm-up exercises. Tommy widened his stance and watched her carefully. Every time the train jolted and juddered, his hands flew to her hips and steadied her.

A few minutes in it became clear that the train was travelling over an uneven area of countryside and he just left his hands on her hips. As she moved through the poses, stretching and working her muscles, he moved with her, his hands supporting a leg or the curve of her back.

Felicity was totally focused on what she was doing, breathing through each form, and Tommy never took his eyes off her. It was like a strange dance. She was graceful in her movements. He watched the tension in her muscles ebb and flow.

After 20 minutes or so there was a light sheen of sweat over her skin. Handprints painted in sweat on her waist were evidence of both her exertion and his presence. Seeing the span of his fingers imprinted like a shadow made his heart lurch protectively.

“Urgh. Ow ow,” Felicity groaned.

Tommy helped her up from her current position and steadied her with a hand on her waist and the other around her shoulders. Felicity hissed in pain, wrapping one hand gently around her ribs.

“You okay?” Tommy asked, concerned again.

“Yes? I think that’s enough for now though. Where’s the ibuprofen?” Her voice was strained.

He guided her to the edge of the bed, poured a glass of water from the pitcher and fetched the pill bottle from the bathroom.

“Thank you.” She downed the pills gratefully. Rolling her head experimentally from side to side, she sighed, “I should have a shower; it’s getting late. Did we miss breakfast?”

Tommy checked his watch. “No, they’re still serving for an hour. You have time. I… ” he broke off, suddenly torn.

“What is it?”

“I was going to say that I could go and get us a table and put the order in, but I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Felicity stood gingerly and took his hand in hers. “I may be a klutz, but I think the odds are against me falling out of the shower two days in a row. Go ahead. I’ll be there in 30 minutes.” She hesitated for a moment, then kissed him gently. “Order me a mushroom omelet? Ooh and banana pancakes! I’m ravenous today. Please make sure they--”

“Skip the walnuts,” Tommy finished, smiling fondly down at her. “Anything for my lovely wife.”

He dropped his lips down to hers and gave her a kiss to think about while she showered. Tugging on her bottom lip gently with his teeth, he grinned, “Today’s gonna be a good day. I’ll see you in 30.”

The smile she had fixed on him as he closed the door made warmth bloom in his chest. His answering smile was still on his face when he reached the dining car.

~~~~

When Felicity reached their table, she found that Tommy and the kitchen staff had collaborated to serve her food moments after she sat down. She smiled her thanks at the waiter as he set her plates down, then beamed at Tommy around a forkful of omelet when he poured her coffee and fixed it just the way she liked it.

Halfway through the ridiculously fluffy omelet, with the food now reaching her stomach and making her feel human again, she sighed happily and drank most of her coffee, studying Tommy over the rim of her cup. He was nearly done with his favorite breakfast of Eggs Benedict with hash browns and extra bacon.

Feeling her eyes on him, Tommy looked up. “What are you grinning about?”

She took another mouthful of coffee before answering. “Just remembering the time you asked me if it was okay to eat bacon around me.”

He ducked his head with a little smile. Then, looking at his plate, his face fell. “I didn’t think - are we still… can we still… I mean is it--”

Felicity giggled. “Yes we can still be married and kiss if you have bacon for breakfast. You are so cute when you’re flustered.” Digging into her pancakes, between bites she told him the story of a very pregnant Donna who had just about had a nervous breakdown because she craved bacon so badly when she was pregnant with Felicity. Donna had never been strictly Kosher, only really in broad strokes here and there. But she had felt very strongly about not eating pork products.

“So picture my Mom, six months pregnant, going to see her Rabbi and crying all over him. He says _‘Donna, I have never known you to keep a Kosher house. What is troubling you?’_ and she tells him that she was worried that her daughter wouldn’t be blessed if she ate bacon - and Mom says that even as she said the words, she _knew_ how crazy it sounded,” Felicity laughed.

“So he hands her a box of tissues and says, _‘Kosher or not is up to you - as it always has been. But whatever you decide, the little one will be just fine.’_ And then he pats her hand and says, _‘We will see Noah for his Aliyah after the baby is born. I look forward to hearing her name. Now, go home. Be well and try not to worry so much.’_ “

“I don’t remember my Mom ever keeping a Kosher home when I was a child. But she took me to Synagogue whenever her shifts would allow, she taught me every blessing, celebrated every festival and holiday.” Felicity leaned closer to Tommy, conspiratorially. “And on those days we were most definitely Kosher,” she winked.

Felicity leaned back in her chair, sipped her coffee and smiled, lost in the memories of her Mom’s stories. Tommy took her hand in his, gently grounding her in the present once again..

“So, no, the bacon isn’t a big deal,” Felicity reassured him. “I don’t keep Kosher.”

“I love listening to you talk about your Mom,” Tommy said, eyes shining with happiness as he laced their fingers together. He kissed the palm of her hand softly. Frowning as he noticed her butterfly stitches. Her dressing had been wet through after her shower and she didn’t have any replacements.

Fingers brushing tenderly along the sides of her arm, careful not to touch her injury, Tommy examined the mending crimson line and the red skin around it.

“I’m going to have the doctor check it and put on a new dressing later.”

Nodding, Tommy solemnly kissed her wrist and palm before releasing them to her use once again.

She finished her food in a thoughtful silence while Tommy drank coffee and watched the scenery pass by the window.

~~~~

After breakfast, Felicity found Doctor Lewis, who was pleased with the way her arm was healing. She re-wrapped it and gave Felicity more antibiotic cream and dressings for the next few days. Tommy caught up with her in their cabin while she was tucking them into her overnight bag.

“I asked about the schedule for the day,” he said, sitting next to the window and watching her. “They’ve got board games set up in the Dome car, cards in the Observation car, and Madame Rene and Julian will be providing musical entertainment in the Lounge car on and off.”

“I don’t know how we’re going to keep track of everyone today,” she sighed. “I thought hiking up that mountain was bad-- _there are too many rooms_! Everyone has cabins to hide in plus all the others.”

Her gestures grew bigger along with her mounting frustration. Tommy caught one of her hands mid-gesture and tugged her onto his lap. One hand went to her back, gently holding her in place, while the other slid her hair over her shoulder before tracing the line of her shoulder and neck, making her shiver.

“We have all our research on your tablet, right?”

It took her a minute to realize he was waiting for an answer. The way his fingers were moving was hypnotic. “Uh, oh, yes. Yup it’s all there.”

He smiled, lazy and warm with something that looked like satisfaction in his gaze. “Then that’s how we’ll keep track. Add a column and make a note of where people are. But really, we only need to watch the people we didn’t talk to yet - the ones we still suspect.”

She nodded, but was aware that his words weren’t fully connecting with her brain. He was so deliciously distracting. Her hands were, she realized, mimicking his and moving over his shoulders and into his hair. “Good plan,” she breathed. “Uh-huh, yup.”

Felicity showed her approval and appreciation of his plan with a searing kiss which he definitely encouraged.

She was going to have to fix her hair. And her make-up. Definitely her lipstick.

_Worth it._

“Tell me again how important it is that we catch these thieves?” Tommy muttered between kisses.

“Uhhm… hundreds of thousands… oh… ” She tried to answer his question, but his teeth were doing something to her ear that shorted out her brain entirely. Taking a deep breath, she planted her hands on his chest and gently pushed him back against the seat. She closed her eyes, took another breath and put her brain back into gear.

“Hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of jewelry stolen, additional thousands in property damage, six security guards and two police officers injured, one security guard in critical condition at Starling Med, a furious Captain Lance, and six months of work by both our team and the SCPD.”

“Well, when you put it that way,” Tommy brushed his thumb over her cheek with an affectionate smile. “It sounds very important. Alright Mrs. McGonagall, work now, play later.”

_Play later._

She liked the sound of that. Catching her smile in her teeth, Felicity went to fix her make-up.

~~~~

After strolling through the various cars, they settled in the Dome car with its board games, and seven people they needed to talk to. The wait staff took drink orders and Felicity impulsively ordered a mimosa. Tommy grinned and ordered one too.

“It is a mimosa kind of day, isn’t it?” he said, brushing a kiss onto her hand before giving it a quick squeeze and letting it go again.

They joined the elderly Mayfield sisters and a couple they had yet to question at a table set up with the Game of Life. On one side, was a game of Monopoly, on the other was a game of Clue. The good-looking couple who sat near them the first night were there - Jack and Logan - they were about the right build and certainly fit enough to pull off the heists.

Cards and game pieces were distributed on all sides, and people introduced - Felicity could see Tommy making a mental note of the names. Catching her eye, he launched into a raucously entertaining story that held the room’s attention while she quietly noted the names on her tablet.

The wheel spun and pieces moved as he fabricated a tale about whisking her away on a surprise trip to Vegas to see the biggest fight of the year. He recounted details of the match sloppily, giving other passengers license to correct his story.

Another two eliminated.

She predictably sent her game piece on the college path, while his quickly married and added children. Enid peered over her spectacles at the board and nudged Felicity pointedly.

“Looks like someone can’t wait to get started on a family.”

Tommy shuffled his cards in his hand, rearranging them with the utmost concentration. Felicity narrowed her eyes. She thought she’d taught him better than that - he was bleeding tells all over the board.

“Is that right? Tommy _dearest_?” Her question was like a death threat written on the finest silk.

“I’d say that’s entirely up to you, _darling_.”

Enid tutted her disapproval, “Surely you get a vote…?”

“Ah, yes. But only one,” Tommy said with a gleam in his eye.

_He’s messing with us_.

He continued- “My wife should get two votes at least, don’t you think? After all she has to _actually grow the child_.” He caught her gaze with his, “my part is a lot easier.”

Felicity could feel her cheeks growing pink and fixed her eyes on the board.

“And then she has to take time off work to have the baby, and time for recovery.”

She continued to listen silently with a small frown. He certainly seemed to be giving this a lot of thought.

“It’s a lot. And that’s assuming she goes back to work right away and we get a nanny…”

He paused mid-thought and Felicity watched as he rearranged the children in his tiny car.

“...or a house husband,” he murmured.

Their eyes met and a flush spread up from his collar. She downed her mimosa and signaled the bar for another round.

Another round of the board, another round of drinks, and they were making conversation with the people playing at the adjacent tables. The couple who sat next to them the first night were cleaning up in Monopoly with a ruthless streak that the QC board would have appreciated. Tommy was talking about some big fight with Jack while Felicity was chatting with Logan about the labradoodle they had.

“I was so disappointed the train didn’t allow pets,” he lamented. “We’re fortunate that Jack’s sister lives in town so the little guy didn’t have to go to a kennel.”

Tommy and Jack became more animated as they relived the fight blow by bloody blow. Felicity winced, picturing each punch vividly.

Logan leaned closer, “I don’t get the appeal, myself. When Jack puts a fight on I snuggle up next to him and bury my head in a book so I don’t have to see the blood splatter. Track and field are my sports. I like to run and admire… let’s say, _good form_ , in other athletes.”

Felicity winked conspiratorially, “I know _exactly_ what you mean.”

Logan looked like a classic all-American athlete - square jaw, broad shoulders tapering to a lean waist. His dark brown eyes shone as he launched into a description of his business selling protein drinks and mixes to gyms and health clubs. He was easy to talk to, and Tommy seemed to genuinely like Jack’s company too.

Just as she was thinking they should exchange contact information with them - perhaps go on some double dates - she caught herself.

_We’re not a real couple. None of this is real._

Her stomach lurched in sour disappointment.

“You okay, Felicity?” asked Logan

Tommy looked over at her, concerned at the stricken look on her face.

She shook her head gently, “Sorry, got lost in my head- imagined how lonely a dog would be in our house... we’re so busy with work.” She smiled ruefully and went back to the game.

A small gong was sounded at the bar and the bursar announced lunch.

Felicity gripped the railing tightly on her way down the spiral staircase from the upper deck. She was feeling unsteady and it wasn’t just the wine. Something was unsettling her and she couldn’t put her finger on it.

They sat down at their table, and to their delight, Jack and Logan sat across the aisle from them.

She tried to focus on their conversation but she felt on edge, as though she was fighting her way through a firewall with a ticking bomb on the other side.

_A countdown._

It became clear in that moment why she felt so uneasy - she _liked_ being with Tommy. She _liked_ being called his wife and kissing him whenever she wanted to.

_When did this happen? I am so screwed._

She stuck to lemonade and coffee at lunch, needing desperately to get her edge back. Needing to grab on to reality with both hands and not lose sight of their goal.

After lunch, the guests gathered in the Lounge for some afternoon entertainment courtesy of Madame Rene and Julian. Tommy asked her to dance almost immediately, and for the first time, she said no.

“I’m not feeling great,” she said. “But you go ahead if you like.”

He paused and then nodded and asked Enid if she would like to dance. He charmed her and they flirted harmlessly together. Felicity realized to her dismay that this was much more dangerous to her heart than if she’d danced with him herself.

She sipped her coffee and let her eyes wander the room, taking stock of the guests and watching their interactions with one-another. Max seemed out of sorts and was arguing with his mother, his placid demeanor gone. Jack and Logan danced a slow dance together before returning to their martinis. She thought that they’d give she and Tommy some stiff competition on the drinking front. And then promptly cursed herself to hell and back for thinking like a couple again.

She turned her attention to Madame Rene. Another day, another beautiful outfit. This one shimmered like peacock feathers, with a scalloped edge which fell around her knees. But what really caught her eye was the exquisite headdress. It was fashioned like three peacock feathers which swooped down one side of her head following the line of her hair and was made of the tiniest gems Felicity had ever seen. Yet despite their size, each was strung on wisps of silver so that they moved like the feathers they mimicked. It was breathtaking engineering on a microscopic level.

The songs changed, and so did the sisters partnering Tommy. He was like something out of a fairytale - the way he bowed to them in a courtly fashion and kissed their hands after showing them back to their seats. One of them said something and he glanced over to her, smiling when he caught her eye, and whatever he answered had the ladies whispering excitedly with him.

Felicity dragged her eyes away and felt a heaviness building in her chest. She had almost made up her mind to leave, just retreat back to the cabin to get herself together, when Tommy was in front of her once again. He gestured to Madame Rene who was singing to some taped accompaniment while Julian took a break.

“It’s a nice slow one. I’ll be gentle, I promise.” He held out his hand to her with a hopeful smile.

Taking a breath and squaring her shoulders a little, she took his hand with a smile she hoped was more natural than it felt.

They were dancing so closely together that Felicity found it hard to breathe. Not because he held her too tight, he was just as gentle as he promised, but because she found him overwhelming. There was no good reason for it. She had known him for nearly a year now. They had danced many times; flirted, laughed, got drunk together.

Yet this time her heart was pounding, each nerve ending was on fire at the slightest touch, and every time he looked at her she had to fight for each breath.

His eyes flicked down to her mouth and she licked her lips reflexively. Tilting his head, he moved closer, so, so slowly, and she realized she was holding her breath.

Tommy brushed his lips softly over hers. Felicity’s heart stuttered and a lump formed in her throat. Stepping back, she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Tommy’s eyebrows pulled together in confusion. She cleared her throat.

“I think the, uh, lilies are getting to me,” she managed to say. “I’m going to go take one of my allergy meds.”

His expression was guarded as he nodded, “Would you like me to come?”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll be back soon.” She managed a more genuine smile that time before walking out into the corridor.

Felicity was so lost in her thoughts that a loud bang startled her more than it should have. She froze instinctively, trying to determine what it was, where it had come from, and whether she was in any actual danger. As she listened to the rattle of the train carriage, she could make out someone arguing in a cabin a little further down the hallway. Tiptoeing closer, she strained to hear what was being said, until she found herself outside cabin D7, and the voices were a flimsy door away.

“...the hell was she thinking? ...exposed us…” It was a man’s voice and he sounded furious.

Another voice responded. It was softer but still forceful, “...overreacting….would notice…”

Pressing her ear close to the door, she closed her eyes and focused all her senses on the argument.

“She didn’t-- do you hear yourself? She didn’t think anyone would notice? _I noticed._ It was unprofessional and sloppy. Get her in line or I’ll deal with her myself.”

Footsteps had Felicity pulling back from the door and running as quietly as she could on her toes down to the end of the hallway and around the corner until she had flattened herself against the wall of the last cabin in the row. She held her breath and listened to the door open. Peeking carefully around the corner, she saw Max standing with one hand on the door handle and an ugly expression on his face. He was snarling something at the other person, who was still in the cabin.

Retreating back against the wall, she waited to hear which way his footsteps would go. Her heart sank as she heard them coming closer.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened her spine and tried for a cheerful smile. Felicity stepped around the corner and walked purposefully towards Max and the lounge. She gave him a little wave.

“Hi there. Is your mother enjoying the music today?” She asked brightly.

A shadow passed over his face and for one awful moment she thought she’d been discovered. Then, just as quickly, he gave her his most charming smile and stopped next to her in the narrow hallway.

“Yes, thank you. She was just feeling a little chill so I’ve been dispatched to find her a warmer wrap.”

“Ah the dutiful son,” Felicity smiled back. “The lilies got to me - I had to go and take an allergy pill.”

He gave her a friendly grimace, “Oh that’s too bad. Well, feel better.” Giving her arm a little squeeze in passing, he continued down the hallway.

She watched him for a moment, unconsciously rubbing her skin where he had touched her, and then walked quickly back to the lounge.

The musical entertainment had ended and the guests were dispersing. Mrs. Ferris still sat in her chair with her hands resting on her cane and a disapproving look on her face. Tommy stood up to greet her and she took his hand and tugged him back over to the chairs.

“I need my tablet,’ she whispered urgently.

He nodded and passed Felicity her things from where he had stashed them behind his chair.

“Felicity--” he began, sounding unsure.

She held up one finger while her other hand flew over the screen. “Just… give me a minute. Please?”

She could see him nod his assent in her peripheral vision. Then she found what she was looking for: D7 was assigned to Julian Lestrade on this trip. Julian the piano player. She thought through the snippets of fight she’d heard. Max and Julian had been fighting over a woman, one that Max expected Julian to get into line.

Wait…

The headdress. Those earrings the first night.

_Frack_.

When she turned to Tommy he was watching her with patience and more than a hint of frustration.

“I’m sorry, I just--” she looked around and was relieved that they were were now alone in the lounge. “I just figured something out. Well, I heard something and then I-- I’m so stupid for not seeing. I _missed_ it Tommy.”

Tommy cupped her face in his hands, “Felicity, take a breath. Start from the beginning.”

She nodded and organized her thoughts.

“I overheard Max Ferris and Julian the piano player arguing. Max said that ‘She had exposed them and what was she thinking?’ And told Julian to get her in line. I think he means Madame Rene. She wore this incredible headdress today-- and there were other pieces, but the earrings on the first night? Look.”

She pulled up evidence photos from previous robberies. The earrings were an exact match for some stolen two months ago. Tommy let out a low whistle.

“I haven’t found the headdress in the files, but we didn’t get the most recent batch from this week’s robbery. It just feels… I just have a hunch.”

“That’s certainly good enough for me,” Tommy said, scrolling through the evidence photos. “No-one has spent more time looking at these files than you and Detective Lance.”

“I still don’t know how Max and Julian are connected,” she continued. “Tomorrow we will be stopping in Coeur D'Alene, an actual town with actual honest-to-goodness wifi. I’ll find myself a coffee shop with a strong signal and take their cyber-lives to pieces and figure out what the hell is going on. I’ll also be able to link with the lair computer and download the latest police files so we can see if that fancy peacock thing is a recent acquisition.”

Tommy nodded, “That’s good. If Julian, Rene, Max or his mother go into town, I’ll tag along and see what I can find out.”

Felicity felt a cold stone of dread drop into her stomach. “Please be careful Tommy,” she said, gripping his hand. “They shot a lot of people. That security guard in the hospital? Lance said he was shot at close quarters. They looked him right in the eye and shot him anyway. For the sake of a robbery. I just--” She bit her lip and looked away, closing her eyes against the images of Tommy, shot and bleeding on the ground in place of the security guard whose pictures she had seared in her brain.

“Felicity? What--?” Tommy trailed two fingers down her jaw, turning her face gently to face him once again.

“I can’t lose you,” she choked out.

Understanding dawned in his eyes. Tommy knew about her father disappearing when she was a child, he knew about her fears when the rest of the team went into the field. But the fact that they had training and experience helped her to keep those fears in check - even with the ever escalating madness. But Tommy had only been training with Oliver and Digg for a few months now - just since he’d been given the all-clear from his doctors after the injury from the rebar had finally healed.

He drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’ll just talk to whoever’s around and try and get some clues. I won’t confront them; if they look even a little suspicious I’ll become fascinated with feeding a dog ice cream or something.” He pulled back a little to look her in the eyes. “I promise, I’m not going anywhere.”

She was kissing him before the idea had finished formulating in her brain. For the next few minutes all she knew were his mouth, tongue, and hands, and the sounds he made when she grabbed hold of his hair to pull him closer.

Before they could get too inappropriate, the bursar came through the cabin, letting them know it was time for afternoon tea. It was to be a light meal of tiny sandwiches and cream-filled pastries almost too pretty to eat. Each table had a tiered serving platter of the finest china and their own teapot of a particularly fragrant blend of tea leaves.

Felicity poured their tea through a strainer whilst Tommy turned the platter carefully, examining the delicate treats.

“I believe we’re supposed to start on the bottom layer with the sandwiches and work our way up,” he said thoughtfully. His eyes caught hers and something dangerous flitted across his face. “But I’ve never been particularly good at following the rules,” he finished softly.

“I _did_ hear that about you,” she smirked and started counting off on her fingers. “From TMZ, WebNewz, The Scoop, Tattler…”

“Try this,” said Tommy, picking a macaroon from the plate and feeding it to Felicity with a _tad_ more urgency than Felicity felt was strictly necessary.

Her answering glare only lasted until the flavors hit her tongue and then her eyes grew wide and she gestured enthusiastically to Tommy to try one. After she finished it, she pulled the platter closer to her and looked more closely.

Tommy chuckled, “Staking a claim?”

Glancing up over the platter and meeting his eyes, Felicity said, “Several.” Turning back to the selection of spun sugar, chocolate, cream, pastries, exotic fruits and berries, she moved four of them to her plate. Without looking up, she added, “No judgement thankyouverymuch” before placing a tiny cucumber sandwich with her bounty and pushing the platter back towards him.

Felicity savored every bite. Some melted on her tongue and others stuck in her teeth. Some flavors were an explosion while others bloomed lazily.

With every happy sigh and moan, Tommy grunted his agreement and held out things for her to taste. When they were finally sated, their tea was lukewarm. Felicity drank hers anyway - a holdover of college years pulling all-nighters. Tommy was appalled and signaled the waiter for a fresh pot.

“How can you drink it like that?”

“A gift born of desperation and the need for caffeine at all costs,” she answered with a shrug.

Tommy tutted, “That will never do. Wasn’t there something in our wedding vows about providing you with beverages of an appropriate temperature? Any time, day or night?”

“Careful, you could sweep a girl off her feet with talk like that,” she grinned.

“Anything for you, darling.” He lifted her hand, and just when she thought he was going to kiss her knuckles, he turned it over and placed a tender kiss in the palm of her hand. Her heart swelled and her breath caught in her throat.

Lifting her other hand to his cheek, she followed the line of his jaw and buried her fingers in his hair. He captured the hand with his and kissed its palm just like its twin. Then turning back to her, he held her gaze with her hands pressed against his cheeks and cradled in his warm hands.

They stayed like that, in a frozen moment until the waiter returned with their tea.

~~~~

When the tea was done they went looking for their four suspects. After searching every carriage and public cabin, they were forced to admit defeat.

“They must be in their cabins,” said Tommy.

Felicity crinkled her nose in frustration. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Why don’t we continue questioning the last few guests on our list? I’d like to be sure there are no more surprises or loose threads.”

Tommy nodded, “That’s a good idea.”

They made their way to the Observation car and joined the card games in progress.

A pleasant few hours passed with Felicity running the table with a cool eye and a practiced hand. Tommy held his own admirably and flirted outrageously. Most of the women and a good portion of the men were half in love with him by the time he was through.

But what Felicity noticed was the way his smile changed just for her. It was soft and genuine and his eyes were filled with something that seemed like a memory. When he looked at her that way it was as though he was putting down roots in every crack and crevice of her heart, and growing something so lovely she didn’t dare try to rip it out. It would be a crime to try.

Could she be this brave and let this grow unchecked? Would there be anything left of her heart when this mission was through?

Felicity honestly didn’t know. But a small part of her longed for it just the same.

The sun set and cast the whole car in a warm glow. The large domed windows magnified the effect until it seemed they were sitting inside a flame - burning and yet feeling no pain. When it finally dipped behind the mountains, the deep purple shadows it left in its wake were eerily cold by comparison. It unsettled her and she grew restless and impatient with the game.

As though sensing her disquiet, Tommy rose at the end of the game. “We should go get ready for dinner.”

Felicity took his hand, soaking up his warmth and letting him chase the cold away.

_Just for now._

~~~~

Tommy was pulling on his dinner jacket when Felicity came out of their bathroom. She was always beautiful, but tonight she took his breath away.

The top of her dress had a halter which was draped effortlessly over her breasts and swooped around the sides of her body in a way that tantalized while remaining completely PG. Her back was bare, the material pooling at her waist - giving him some decidedly R-rated thoughts. Where the top half of the dress was black silk, the skirt was red and flowing, clinging to every delicious curve as she moved.

“You look stunning,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and dropping a kiss to her lips. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a way which showed off her neck and he kissed his way down its length, happy that he now had the freedom to do so.

“Tommy--” she said breathlessly. “Dinner.”

He loved the way she said his name. He looked forward to coaxing it from her a hundred different ways. Smiling at the thought, he kissed her once again and offered her his arm. She smiled up at him and his heart stuttered in his chest.

Throughout dinner he was pleased to discover that they had found an easy intimacy. Their friendship had blended with this new physicality to make something good and surprisingly comfortable. It felt _right_ , and he didn’t want it to end when the mission was done.

During the quiet moments as they ate, Tommy tried out conversations and scenarios in his head, searching for a way to persuade Felicity to date him, to try and see if this was real. It certainly felt real to him-- when she was in his arms it was as though certainty converged on the moment, giving it a sharp edge which cut through all of the bullshit in his life and hooked right into his soul.

Her smile warmed him far more than the candlelight which made her hair glow like spun gold. He couldn't stop touching her. His fingers found hers again and again, they mapped the creases of her hands and wrists across the linen tablecloth until he saw her shiver. Bringing her palm to his mouth, he kissed it, unable to hide the smile she drew from him so easily.

After dinner, the passengers were told there would be no entertainment that evening but they were welcome in the lounge for drinks if they wished.

“That's too bad,” Felicity said as they walked over to the bar. “I was looking forward to dancing with you tonight.”

“Who says we're not dancing?” Tommy murmured next to her ear.

He led her over to the dancefloor, bigger tonight for the smaller crowd in the room. His left hand held hers, ready to lead, his right trailed down the line of her spine, causing Felicity to press closer to him, until his hand rested on the bare skin of her lower back.

Humming an old Gershwin tune, he swayed with her for a minute, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, “How are your injuries tonight? Do you think you can stand to be dipped?”

“Absolutely,” she murmured back.

He moved them around the floor for a few bars of the song, then spun her away from him before twirling her back again. She laughed, delighted, so he began to show off some of his footwork before ending in the promised dip. Their faces were so close that Tommy couldn’t resist kissing her, continuing the kiss as he stood them upright.

Her arms were draped around his neck, eyes shining with happiness as she rested her cheek on his chest and they continued to sway.

Tommy could barely believe this was real. His thumb moved restlessly across the skin at her shoulder-blade, grounding him in the moment. Replaying the day in his mind made his heart beat faster and his arms hold her a little tighter. He couldn’t get enough of her, she was intoxicating.

Before he could get too mired in his own thoughts, he took a breath, smiled, and spun her around the dance floor a couple more times before they called it quits and got their drinks.

He couldn’t tell you later what they’d talked about, only that her eyes had sparkled, and her laugh had made his chest swell as though he’d unlocked a secret. She was happy and he’d played a part in that. It was more than enough.

When they went back to their room it gave him a thrill of excitement to think that she would be lying in his arms all night.

Stepping behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and peppered her neck with kisses. She hummed and leaned back into him, lacing her fingers with his.

“You smell so good,” he said against her skin. The vibration of his words tickled her skin and she turned in his arms, looping hers loosely around his neck.

“I think I still smell like your cologne; it got all over me.”

Tommy leaned down, buried his face in the curve of her neck, and breathed deeply. She shivered on the exhale and he kissed her goosebumps.

“It’s probably half and half,” he said, resting his forehead against hers.

“Yeah? It’s funny because--” she leaned up on her toes and nuzzled his neck. “--you always smell so good and I miss it on you.”

She pushed away from him abruptly. “You don’t smell bad, that’s not what I-- because you’re just… I could _eat_ you, you’re so… but I just--”

Laughter bubbled up out of him and he kissed her tenderly. “It’s okay, Smoak, I know exactly what you mean.”

With another peck, they separated and began their bedtime routine. He brushed and washed up first so that she could take the bathroom for as long as she needed while he quickly changed into his pajama pants.

Lying in bed, he listened to her moving about, picturing her removing her makeup and unpinning her hair. After she hung her dress back in the closet, she took a prescription bottle out of her case and swallowed a pill, then smoothed some lip balm on her lips before climbing into bed.

He wondered if he would learn her routine by the end of their mission. His stomach felt tight all of a sudden. Forcing himself to relax, he held out an arm across the pillows, inviting her into his arms.

“C’mere.”

She smiled and slid closer, resting her cheek on his chest and hugging his waist with her arm. Tommy hugged her close and pressed a kiss into her hair.

“Goodnight,” he said softly.

“Goodnight Tommy.”

He smiled into the darkness and let sleep pull him under.

~~~~

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the train pulls into a town with WiFi, Felicity can finally get some solid evidence for their case against the thieves. But when Oliver and Digg check in with them, it makes Tommy and Felicity wonder if they are focused on the right things. Are they letting what's happening between them get in the way of the mission?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the link to the playlist I am curating for this story:  
> https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUaiMeBrKtt0pKTvxYKwtBQtGrVEB6MYE
> 
> The songs for this chapter are:  
> "Kiss Me" by Ed Sheeran  
> "Movie Loves a Screen" by April Smith and the Great Picture Show  
> "Drunk in Love" by Postmodern Jukebox with Cristina Gatti  
> & "Stay With Me" by Postmodern Jukebox with Cristina Gatti  
> Enjoy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This time when he woke and found Felicity sleeping in his arms, Tommy didn’t shy away, didn’t second guess himself. He simply held her. Reading the lines and freckles decorating her; feeling each breath as it moved her body, her skin next to his. Holding her warmth gently in his hands.

She stirred, nuzzled into his chest, slid her hand and leg over him, leaving a trail of heat behind as his body reacted to her touch.

Burying his face in her hair, he breathed in, slow and deep. His heart swooped in his chest and he pressed a soft kiss to her hairline. And then another.

Felicity made a small sound in the back of her throat. Her chin tilted up and her eyes fluttered open to meet his. She met him gaze for gaze and then stole the breath from his lungs with a simple, sleepy smile.

Before he could think better of it, his hands moved and his body shifted so that now when he held her, they were face to face. One hand teased the bottom edge of her tank top where it met the warm skin of her back. The other tangled itself in her hair and gently guided her closer, closercloser until he could taste her breath on his lips and see each dark blue speckle in her eyes.

She took in a quick breath and then crashed her lips into his so quickly that his hand hovered awkwardly in the air behind her head for a long moment until synapses sparked and he kissed her back.

His lips moved with a passionate sense of purpose over hers, around the edges of her mouth, nipping at her lips with his teeth and soothing behind with the tip of his tongue. Teasing and seducing without words, he traced the soft line of her jaw. He tugged on her ear before making his way down her neck and sending a shudder through her which echoed in her moan.

“Tommy… “ she gasped, seizing his face in her hands and dragging his lips back to hers.

“Felicity,” he echoed on a whisper between kisses. She sighed and his tongue slipped into her mouth - probing, licking, tasting. His hands fisted in her hair and shirt; hers scraped her nails against his stubble and up into his hair. Pleasure tickled a path down his spine.

He dimly registered that he wasn’t getting enough oxygen and kissed her twice quickly before resting his forehead against hers and panting for breath. Her chest rose as she did the same, pressing their bodies closer still. A deep groan pulled its way past his throat and he hugged her closer; she buried her face in his neck, planting kisses there for good measure.

They lay in each other’s arms a while longer, the only sound their ragged breathing, their only movement the gentle strumming of hands against skin and through hair - more soothing than urgent.

Felicity groaned, “I don’t want to get up.”

The thought of spending the day in bed with Felicity sent a bolt of heat straight to his groin and his lips were on hers the next instant, letting her know without words how much he agreed with that sentiment. Her leg twined around his, pulling his hips closer into hers.

His brain was drunk on the sensation of her body against his - every and any reason he’d ever had for not pursuing Felicity had evaporated like water on scorching summer pavement. Tommy felt like a fool for not kissing her sooner.

A phone alarm chimed loudly. Frowning, Tommy muttered against her lips, “Ignore it.”

“I can’t,” She said, continuing to kiss him anyway. “It’ll get louder if I ignore it.”

It got louder.

Felicity pushed Tommy off her and leaned at an odd angle to silence the phone, which promptly fell on the floor. She nearly went head-first after it, but Tommy grabbed her waist with both hands. Felicity flashed him a grin before reaching - almost completely upside-down - for the phone and turning it off.

When she used his hands as leverage to slowly right herself, he didn’t feel he could be held responsible for the strangled sound which left his throat.

The flash of amusement in her eyes told him that she knew what he was thinking. Planting a soft, lingering kiss on his mouth, she hummed happily before resting her forehead on his chest with a sigh.

“Like I said - I _really_ don’t want to get up. But we really have to. There is WiFi practically within my grasp-”

Tommy snorted in amusement.

“Seriously, Tommy-- I can sense its presence,” Felicity closed her eyes and put her fingers to her temples. “It’s five miles away, _tops_.”

Grinning, Tommy kissed her tenderly, “Well we’d better get ready then. Can’t waste that beautiful brain of yours.”

“You have to stop saying things like that.”

Tommy frowned, “What do you mean?”

“I-- I just…” Felicity sighed and picked at the bedspread, “I’m trying to keep fact separate from fiction. You’re really convincing in your role, like _confundus_ good, and it’s easy to forget that you’re playing a part-- the compliments, the pet names, the PDA… I don’t want to be confused about where we stand when we go back to Starling.”

Nausea swirled in Tommy’s stomach that was only partly due to needing breakfast. He examined how Felicity was hunched in on herself, one arm wrapped defensively around her middle, while the other removed imaginary lint from the comforter.

“First of all--” he said softly while tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear, “I would never-- _will never_ lie to you. Other than calling you my wife and talking up our imaginary backstory, everything I have said to you is the truth.”

Felicity’s eyes searched his as though trying to unravel a puzzle.

Tommy continued, “I lo-- _like_ being with you - whether on assignment or hanging out on a Friday night in our sweats. I like that I get to have you as my friend independent of Team Arrow. I am really liking this opportunity this week to tell you how much…” His hand skimmed lightly over her skin and around to the back of her neck. “And to show you how much more I would like to be.”

His lips brushed gently over hers, softly tantalizing, asking a question and answering with a promise.

~~~~

After breakfast, most of the passengers left the train to explore the waterfront areas before meeting for a lunch cruise. While some were shopping or sightseeing, others were just grateful for the opportunity to stretch their legs on steady ground.

Tommy and Felicity walked arm in arm as casually as they could muster. When Felicity spotted a mid-sized cafe with a strong WiFi signal, she looked inside and was pleased to see plenty of quiet corners and booths. After setting up with her back to the wall and a clear line of sight to the door and most of the cafe, she waved Tommy off, who went in search of their suspects.

It felt good to be mainlining coffee and computer code again. She boosted the WiFi and tiptoed past firewalls as though they weren’t there. Felicity was deep in code, fingers flying between two keyboards and her tablet, when a shadow fell across the table. Startled, she looked up and was surprised but relieved to see Tommy watching her work.

“Back already? Couldn’t you find them?”

“I’ve been gone for three hours,” Tommy said, amused. “It’s time for the lunch cruise.”

It wasn’t the first time she had gotten wrapped up in her work and lost track of the time - it wasn’t even the first time this week. However, she tried not to let it happen in public-- their lives were far too unpredictable for that.

Glancing back at her screen, Felicity knew she couldn’t afford to stop what she was doing - she was finally getting through the bank firewalls and making copies of the transaction records. The puzzle pieces were falling into place.

“I’m sorry Tommy, I need to keep working on this. I’m making good progress here.”

Disappointment flitted across his face briefly before being chased away by a warm smile. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll go anyway to schmooze the suspects-- I’ll tell people you had to take care of a problem for your office and send your regrets.”

Felicity could feel the tension in her neck and shoulders melt away. Grabbing his hand in hers, she squeezed and smiled up at him. “Thank you, you’re the best.”

“I like to think so,” Tommy quipped, before bending to kiss her softly. “I’ll come and check in with you when we dock. Watch your back okay?”

Thumbing at the wall behind her, Felicity grinned, “Got it covered.”

With a wink, Tommy strode quickly out of the cafe to catch to boat. Felicity ordered more coffee and a sandwich from the waitress, squared her shoulders and got back to work.

~~~~

The loud trill of her phone startled her. She looked around to find the cafe was perfectly normal, took a deep breath to steady her heartbeat, and picked up her phone. A photo of Verdant flashed on the screen.

Felicity swiped the screen and Oliver and Digg appeared, greeting her with something resembling relief.

“Hey Felicity,” said Oliver. “Are you guys okay?”

“We were expecting to hear from you by now,” Digg added.

“Yes. We’re, um, we’re good - just stuck with a crappy phone signal and no WiFi. We reached Coeur D'Alene today so I’m finally getting somewhere with the--” Felicity paused, checking for anyone close by, then lowered her voice a little, “--bank records. We’ve got it narrowed down though, so I’m trying to see if the data supports our theory.”

She quickly brought them up to date with the investigation. When she mentioned the most recent robbery, Digg let her know that Detective Lance had given them copies of the files. Felicity connected to the lair network and downloaded the new information.

She quickly scrolled through the evidence photos until she found it: the peacock hairband.

“Yes!” she exclaimed loudly. Smiling bashfully at the server passing her booth, she covered quickly, “These really are the most amazing cupcakes…”

Digg pinched the bridge of his nose. “You and Oliver are the worst liars, I swear…”

“Hey! I’ll have you know I’ve brought my A-game this week. And we may have had a rocky start, but Tommy and I have really been selling it. Everyone’s completely convinced---”

She snapped her mouth shut.

Oliver’s eyes narrowed. “Fel-ic-i-ty, what aren’t you telling us?”

“Hmmm?” She played with her earring and tried to project a look of innocence.

Raising his eyebrow with a look that screamed “Bullshit,” Digg folded his arms and stared hard at her.

There was an increasingly uncomfortable silence, during which the men waited silently for her to crack.

“Fine,” she huffed. “It was nothing, okay? The _tiniest_ little hiccup everyone-thinks-we’re-married-and-our-aliases-are-Mr-&-Mrs-McGonangall.” She took a breath and straightened her tablet, then very deliberately moved some files around on the screen.

“Felicity, are you okay?” Digg asked with such straightforward kindness - not the slightest hint of judgement - that she had to swallow some coffee before she could answer him.

“I am. Really.”

She looked at them soberly, feeling the weight of responsibility for the success of the mission. “I won’t let you down - we’ve all worked too hard on this.”

Oliver looked as though he was going to say something but stopped, shook his head and took a breath before beginning again. “We have faith in you Felicity - in both of you. We know you’ll get this done. Just… be careful okay?”

“I will-- _we_ will. Tomorrow is the trip to Logan Pass, where I think they must be either meeting a courier or taking the jewels across the border themselves. Twenty-four hours and this will all be over.”

Oliver nodded. “Good luck. We’ll be waiting for your call when it’s done.”

~~~~

Tommy tapped his champagne glass against the one he had just handed to Madame Rene. He had been talking with her amiably for half an hour now, and she was finally showing signs of dropping her guard a little. He had steered the conversation skillfully through flattery and admiration for her singing, on to her future plans for her career, and finally towards the club he owned - and did she have an agent he could contact in order to book her?

Her mouth quirked in a small smile and her shoulders fell into a more relaxed posture. He could feel her whole attitude opening up to him-- and then his phone rang.

Glancing at the picture, he grimaced before excusing himself regretfully. Tommy answered as he stepped out onto the deck of the small cruise boat, “Hey, Ollie, what’s up?”

“What’s going on, Tommy?”

Tommy winced. Clearing his throat, he tried for a light tone of voice, “What do you mean, buddy? We’ve got it narrowed down to a few people and Felicity is working the finances as we speak.”

“Fuck the _mission_. What happened with Felicity?”

“It was an accident, okay?” said Tommy, resigned. “The train jolted and she fell out of the shower--” Massaging the skin between his eyebrows, Tommy took a breath, “She got a nasty cut and some bruises but not -  you gotta believe me - _not_ mission related.”

There was a heavy silence before-- “She was _injured_?!” Oliver thundered, “Why didn’t either of you call us? Why the _hell_ didn’t you get off at the next stop? And why do _you_ have intimate knowledge of _Felicity’s showers?_ ”

_Fuck, fuck, fuck._

“Yes, she was hurt, but for one thing it wasn’t mission related; for another, there wasn’t anything you could have done; and not for nothing- have you ever tried to stop Felicity when she is determined to crack something? She knows her own limitations, so if she says she is good to go, I have no reason to doubt her.”

Tommy’s jaw grew tight as his irritation mounted, “And let’s not forget, _buddy_ , that you booked this cosy room for two, so you should stop right there.”

Oliver's reply, when it came, was so icy that Tommy was surprised he couldn't see his own breath. “Felicity is immeasurably important to me and to our whole team. I don’t take it lightly-- the way she pours her heart into our mission. For you to suggest that I have anything but the utmost respect for her and her contribution… it’s low, Tommy. _You should know better._ ”

“Right back at you,” snapped Tommy. “What do you think we’re doing here?”

“Well that’s just it, Tommy-- something’s got her rattled, distracted.” Oliver’s voice dropped down, almost to Arrow levels, “Don’t lose sight of what your mission is-- and don’t start believing your own cover story.”

Tommy’s stomach twisted with guilt, but he tried to shake it off, “Felicity’s doing just fine. An extended op like this was never going to happen without a few bumps in the road. She’s the one who put it all together, so lay off her. As for the cover story... “

He paused for a moment, thinking back over the last few days. “We’re both on the same page-- nothing’s happening that we’re not both comfortable with.”

“Tommy--” cautioned Oliver. “She’s so damn smart that it’s easy to forget how vulnerable she can be. But more than that-- she’s _terrifying_.”

“What--?”

“This is the girl who went toe-to-toe with a jewel thief and nearly got her head blown off. She is so determined to help others that she thinks it’s a fair trade if it comes at her expense. You _have_ to watch her back, Tommy, because fuck knows _she won’t._

A heavy silence stretched between them.

Tommy swallowed hard and stood a little straighter. “I’ve got her, man. I won’t let her get hurt.”

“Thank you,” came Oliver’s reply, layered with something Tommy couldn’t discern over the phone line.

Tommy stared at his phone thoughtfully for a few moments after they hung up. He hadn’t been taking this seriously enough. These were dangerous people and he and Felicity were a hairsbreadth away from catching them. If they even _suspected_ it, if they felt cornered, the situation could become deadly in the blink of an eye.

Felicity had become his focus, had completely overwhelmed him without even trying. His thoughts strayed to her so easily.

Even now, standing on the deck of this small cruise ship with the afternoon breeze mussing up his hair, he ached to feel her in his arms again. He could picture her there so clearly-- her curls blowing around her face while she brushed them aside in annoyance; he would move them gently back from her face, untangling a curl or two from her glasses. Then slowly - so slowly that he’d be able to watch the expressions flit across her face - he would bring his mouth to hers, and show her without words how he felt about her.

A jarring laugh from inside the cabin brought Tommy back to his senses. Frowning, he slipped his phone back into his pocket, squared his shoulders and strode back into the cabin with a careless smile carefully in place.

~~~~

Felicity stepped outside, turning her face up towards the sun even as she pulled her jacket closed against the slight chill in the air. She was happy--with the break in the case, with the evidence she had uncovered… and with how things were going between her and Tommy.

Just the thought of him teased a smile from her. Somewhere deep down inside her, Tommy = Happiness. A simple but dangerous equation. She brushed aside errant thoughts about feelings and the chance of a relationship with him; squashed down the insecurities which threatened to rise up and choke her.

With a deep breath she wandered through the town, enjoying window shopping and the luxury of a few minutes peace to herself. When Felicity found herself at the storefront of a lingerie boutique, she thought of the dress she was supposed to wear tonight.

It was strange having to dress formally for dinner each night. She was so grateful to Thea for loaning her such beautiful gowns. What must it have been like to grow up in that kind of world? She couldn’t imagine that kind of privilege... and that kind of pressure to be perfectly ‘on’ at all times for the world’s consumption.

Tonight’s dress was a gorgeous creation in a delicate shade of olive green. Shimmering tulle would be wrapped around her, skin-tight, before falling to the floor in gentle wisps. Detailed beading evoked fern fronds; it made up the only shoulder strap and highlighted the waist, trailing down one hip on the right side. But the detail Felicity was most focused on right now was the way the skirt was rouched up to the top of one thigh, giving a daring flash of long leg.

Yes, it was definitely going to need stockings with a garter belt.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she went inside. As she searched through the racks of skimpy lace,  it wasn’t really the expense that was making her hesitate. Felicity had a little money put aside for the occasional splurge. It was the fact that with every piece of clothing she looked at, Tommy’s potential reaction was utmost in her mind.

She chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip. Just what kind of reaction did she _want_?

Pictures flashed vividly in her mind of Tommy pinning her to a wall and kissing her senseless; of pushing him backwards onto a bed, his eyes glazed with lust; of his weight above her, their bodies fitting together perfectly.

Her face grew hot and she adjusted her glasses, swallowing hard.

_The mission, Felicity._

Straightening her posture, she pictured the dress once again and the setting she would be wearing it in. Nodding, she continued her search.

Twenty minutes later she continued her path down towards the lakeside.

Felicity stopped abruptly, a laugh bubbling past her lips. There was a statue of a cartoon moose - lovingly rendered in bronze, complete with a little mouse friend sitting in his antler - standing near the shore. She snapped a picture of herself kissing the moose and texted it to her mom. After a moment, she grinned and sent it to Tommy as well with, “Hurry back, you have competition ;)”

She had only walked a few paces more when her phone buzzed with his reply-- a photo of Tommy looking comically shocked with, “Say it isn’t so!”

Biting her lip mid-grin, Felicity didn’t examine the warmth blooming in her chest as she sent him a kiss emoji.

Her feet moved automatically towards the pier and her heart stuttered when she saw him on the deck of the boat as it docked. He was smiling broadly at her.

Tommy moved gracefully along the deck towards the exit, his eyes never leaving hers. Felicity mirrored him unconsciously, walking along the dock to keep level with him.

As soon as the ramp was in place, he ran lightly down its slope to where she was waiting. Reaching her, he paused for a moment before smiling and picking her up by her waist and twirling her around.

She was giggling when he finally put her down. He immediately took her remaining breath away with a searing kiss before resting his forehead against hers.

“I missed you,” he said huskily.

She kissed him again, slow and sensual, while she tried to find her voice - and courage - to tell him the same. Everything felt too real. It was thrilling and terrifying and all she wanted to do was lose herself in him.

“I missed you too,” she whispered finally.

Other guests filtered by them unnoticed while Tommy lifted the heavy computer bag over her head and onto his own shoulder. He tucked her arm in his, and with a quick kiss to a sensitive spot just under her ear, strolled along the dock before guiding her to a quiet path beside the shore.

“So what did you find?” he asked.

Felicity told him, with mounting excitement, about the money trails she had uncovered. The large payments to Mrs. Ferris’s physical therapist and Julian’s hidden account in the Cayman Islands. She described the patterns she had found-- the American Orient Express leaving Starling within 24 hours of the robberies being committed. Each time, at least one of the three thieves was on board - Madame Rene singing for the guests, Julian playing the piano (sometimes together, sometimes alone), or Max taking his mother to a chiropractic clinic just over the Canadian border.

Finally she stopped and turned to him, “But the _best_ part? Julian’s brother served time in jail for aggravated assault. He lives in Starling and has Julian’s address as his contact information with his parole officer. It all makes sense. It fits.”

“You’re a genius, Felicity,” Tommy said, shaking his head in appreciation. “A stone cold genius. Lance is going to be thrilled. What’s next?”

Preening a little under his praise, she smiled, “Next we have to see if they take the jewels across the border themselves, or if they hand them off at the Logan Pass Visitor’s Center. When the tour goes there tomorrow we’ll see which of them gets on the tour bus, then we will watch them at the pass. There might be an accomplice waiting there, there might be a rental car, it’s hard to say.”

They started walking again and she hugged his arm in excitement. “But once we know the last piece of the puzzle,” she continued, “we can call the local police and anonymously tip them off to arrest them before they cross the border this time. Then we’ll email Detective Lance the evidence I found and he can put it all together to make the case with the DA and FBI.”

“That sounds like a solid plan,” Tommy said thoughtfully. “Um… I should tell you, I spoke to Oliver today.”

Her stomach dropped. “Oh? Me too.” Felicity tried to sound unconcerned.

“I _may_ have let it slip that you were injured--”

“Noooooooo,” Felicity groaned. “Oliver is such a mother hen! He’s gonna be all growly and _‘It’s too dangerous Felicity!’_ Ugh!”

Tommy bit back a grin at her impersonation of Oliver, and attempted to look contrite. “I’m sorry, I thought he already knew and just put my foot in it.”

Sighing, Felicity said, “Yeah, okay.”

The train whistle sounded in the distance.

“That’s the 30 minute warning,” Felicity said, looking back along the path.

Tommy turned to face the way they had come, switching the bag to his other shoulder and offering her his other arm. “Then we’d better get going.”

~~~~

From the moment Felicity stepped out of the bathroom, dressed for dinner, she felt on edge. Tommy was once again in his tuxedo for the formal dinner, and when he turned to see her, he looked momentarily stunned. He took in a sharp breath and his hands hovered for a moment as though he wasn’t sure what to do with them. Then, placing them gently on her shoulders, he kissed her sweetly and said, “You are breathtaking.”

The scent of his aftershave hit her - he’d apparently been shopping too; his blue eyes were fixed on hers and she could barely breathe.

She wanted so much that she couldn’t have - certainly not now, perhaps not ever.

“So are you.” Her voice was barely a whisper. Pressing a kiss to his lips, she tried to push down the rising fire tingling through her nerve endings.

She broke away from him and groped for the door handle, not trusting herself in this small space with him right now.

Throughout dinner she downed cocktail after cocktail, trying to anesthetize her nerves about tomorrow’s task. And the end of her partnership with Tommy.

His eyes were sharp and clear, but if he thought anything about her strange behavior he kept it to himself. Tommy carried the conversation and managed to keep an aura of unruffled ease about him.

 _How does he do that?_ Felicity wondered.

She felt as though she was going to crawl out of her skin. She wanted the op to be _over_. Yet she was nervous about pulling off this most tricky part of their mission. And what were she and Tommy? Would this strange experiment end with the mission? Were they dating now?

Felicity didn’t have any answers and it was driving her crazy.

Finally, with the end of dinner the guests adjourned to the lounge. Tommy walked past the bar and the small tables and cosy chairs; he held her hand firmly in his as he led her straight to the dancefloor. Julian was already playing something soft and vaguely familiar.

Tommy brought her body flush with his and moved them gently with the music. Felicity tucked her head under the hollow of his chin with a sigh. She breathed in his scent and focused on the feel of his hands on her skin.

Her mind calmed, _finally_ , for the first time in hours. Right now, he was hers. In this moment, there was no tomorrow, no mission; just the warmth of his body against hers.

“Are you okay?” His voice was soft next to her ear.

Lifting her head, she put her cheek next to his and murmured, “I’m nervous about tomorrow. All the evidence is circumstantial if we don’t catch them moving the jewels.”

“We’ll get it done.” He pulled back so he could look her in the eye. “I believe in you and I’ve got your back.”

She kissed him hard, her heart stuttering wildly in her chest. He answered her in kind before moving with the music once more. His eyes swept across the lines of her face even as the two of them swept across the small dance floor.

The music became more lively and Tommy transitioned them seamlessly into some more complicated steps. As he twirled her gracefully, she knew he was trying to get her out of her head and she was grateful for it.

When he twirled her back towards him something in Tommy’s expression changed. His left hand still held her right as he led them, but his other hand had moved from her back to her hip and he gripped her there in a way that sent a thrill of anticipation through her.

“Felicity,” he said, his voice rough. Dipping her suddenly, he moved her in a slow arc, his hand sliding from her hip, over the swell of her ass and down her left leg as he guided it up to his hip.

Felicity’s breath hitched.

Air hissed through Tommy’s teeth as he slowly pulled her upright once again.

“Are you wearing a garter belt?”

“Yes?”

Any thoughts of playing coy vanished with the heated look he gave her. Tommy resumed their dance, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear.

“Another time - after we catch them tomorrow--” He swallowed hard, his fingers tracing the shape of the garter belt where it sat just above her ass. “Wear these _any other time_ and I will definitely help you take them off.”

Whether it was his breath ghosting over her ear or the thought of him making good on that promise, it sent a delicious shiver through her. Tommy held her a little tighter in his arms.

She loved this-- loved feeling wanted and desired. Felicity had had plenty of boyfriends, sure, but she couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this thrill.

~~~~

Tommy followed Felicity down the narrow hallway to their cabin. His gaze drifted over the curve of her hips, mesmerized as she gracefully navigated the moving carriage in high heels. His pulse thundered in his veins.

Unlocking the cabin doon and stepping through, she looked over her shoulder. He was hesitating on the threshold.

Felicity raised an eyebrow, “Tommy?”

His mouth dry and his brain in a fog, he tried to stammer an answer. How could he tell her that he wanted her too much? That he was afraid of blowing the mission and torpedoing their friendship. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this strongly about someone.

This wasn’t just physical, though they had that in spades. He wanted… he _wanted_ so badly it was a physical ache in his chest, but he couldn’t think clearly enough to explain it to her; or even to himself.

All he knew was-- if he was in the cabin with her when she took those stockings off, neither one of them would get any sleep tonight. He couldn’t - _wouldn’t_ \- screw this up.

“I’m just gonna take care of something. Why don’t you go ahead and get ready for bed? I won’t be long.”

Her eyebrows tugged together, puzzled, but she nodded and closed the door behind her.

He ran his hand through his hair with a sigh of frustration and made his way back to the lounge.

Sitting at the bar, he ordered a cup of coffee, and tried very hard not to picture Felicity at that moment.

Tommy pulled out his phone, toying with the idea of calling Oliver. He would get Tommy back on track in short order, no problem.

No signal. _Damn_.

He was going to have to figure out how to navigate this by himself. Like a fucking adult.

Well, _shit_.

Fifteen minutes later he knocked softly on their door. Felicity peeked around the privacy curtain covering the windows of the door and let him in.

“Hi,” he said a little breathlessly.

“Hi.” She tilted her head to one side, studying him. Her hair was piled up on her head in a loose top-knot and her glasses were perched on the end of her nose. Tonight’s pajama pants had tsum tsum superheroes all over them. “Everything okay?”

Slipping his hands loosely around her waist, he kissed her tenderly. “Everything’s great. I just needed a couple of minutes to clear my head.”

Nodding, she climbed back into bed with a book in hand. Tommy took his pajamas into the bathroom and went through his routine quickly. He paused after washing his face, examining his reflection. He thought he saw something of his father in his face the older he got. It made his stomach churn. He knew he had the color of his mother’s eyes, but their shape… was all Malcolm.

Shaking his head in disgust, he looked away and reached for his toothbrush. By the time he joined Felicity in bed, _he_ was the one on edge. She seemed to sense that something was off.

“Come here,” she opened her arms to him. He rested his cheek on her stomach and tangled his arms around her. Her fingernails scraped over his scalp, pulling a contented sigh from him.

“How do you do that?” he mumbled into her tank top.

“What?”

“You always know just what to do.”

She huffed softly. “Nah. But I know my friends.”

Tommy pushed up onto his elbows until he was leaning over her, face to face. “I’m really happy about that,” he said. He kissed her slow and deep, pushing his fingers into her hair.

When they finally parted, she sighed contentedly. Tommy drifted off to sleep wrapped up in Felicity’s arms, a small smile on his lips.

~~~~

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Felicity's dress:  
> http://storiesofimagination.tumblr.com/post/159400582223/fyeahgowns-marchesa-fall-2017  
> http://storiesofimagination.tumblr.com/post/159400596483/juilletdeux-marchesa-fallwinter-2017-rtw
> 
> This is the moose statue (yes, it's real):  
> http://storiesofimagination.tumblr.com/post/159780162698/moose-statue-in-coeur-dalene-idaho-courtesy-of
> 
> I realize it has been a year since my last update 0.o  
> Thank you for your patience and your continued support! I appreciate it more than you know. <3


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